Forgotten
by Crystal Fissure
Summary: .:Sequel to An Extra Heart:. Sora, Donald, Akyra and Goofy's adventure continues when their destination turns out to be Castle Oblivion. Little do they know what surprises this castle has to offer... .:Complete!:.
1. New Beginning

Me: Mwahahaha! You thought you could escape ME? The insane authoress?  
Akyra: YAY! We live!  
Me: Welcome, dear readers to the sequel of "An Extra Heart"... "Forgotten"!  
Audience: Guess who?  
Akyra: Ugh...  
Me: Say, where's Mushu?  
Audience: Meh, he said our posse wasn't insane enough for him so he left.  
Me: O.o Not insane enough? NOT insane enough?  
Akyra: Take cover! (hides)

Disclaimer: Not you again. I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM and Akyra's always mine.

* * *

The moon seemed brighter than usual that night. It's surprising glow showered the endless meadow with a calm, dim light. Yet, no matter how illuminated the area may be, one could not perceive a narrow, jagged path that was so well hidden among the fields of grass. Though, would you believe, if one were to tell you that this peaceful road would lead to a place of difficult choices, lack of forgiveness and a place where even the strongest hero will begin to question the trust of his friends? That is for you to decide. In the meantime, let us follow a group of four special friends as they embark on their hardest and most challenging adventure yet. 

The four friends carefully trudged down the tan path, weary and exhausted. They had been walking for so long, yet they didn't feel closer to their destination at all. All they did was walk down the path, morning and night. Sometimes, they spent entire nights hiking instead of stopping to rest. Yet, no matter how much they trekked, still no sign of change. A blue-eyed girl who was marching behind a short duck stretched her arms out and rubbed her eyes with a purple-gloved hand. The light breeze ruffled her shoulder length hair of the darkest shade of pink to the front of her face, partially covering her eyes. Though, she didn't take the time to sweep it away from her face. She was much too displeased with what was happening.

_We have been walking for days and still no sign of anything? Something's not right here…_she thought as she stared out into the horizon. You know, from here, the path looked sort of divided in two… The girl suddenly gasped and opened her eyes real wide. The path looked just as it had before. But, she was positive she had seen it! A fork in the road… Maybe she was just imagining things. Pity, she was so sure she spotted something… Suddenly, the girl felt the tip of her foot hit something hard and heard the screech of an annoyed duck. She stumbled and quickly lost her balance, causing her to sway back in forth uncontrollably.

"Whoa!" she managed to yell before smashing into the duck and hitting the ground.

"Watch where you're going, Akyra!" the duck groaned.

"Sorry…" Akyra said in an apologetic tone.

"Donald! Akyra! Are you guys okay?" a tall dog yelled as he ran towards them, waving his long arms in the air.

"Seriously, Goofy, does it look like we're okay?" Donald grumbled from underneath Akyra. Goofy ignored him and quickly went to help Akyra to her feet.

"Sorry, Donald…" she apologized as she dusted herself, "I guess I was just too fixated on that…that…"

"What's there to be fixated about? There is only a road, a bunch of grass and a couple of trees here…" Donald said as he picked himself up.

"But it was there! That fork in the road! I just know it was there!"

"Fork in the road? Where?" Goofy asked curiously, whirling around and scanning the entire area.

"You're probably just seeing things," the duck concluded, "And I can't blame you either. Anybody who's been walking in one place as much as us would go insane sometime…"

Goofy shrugged his shoulders and began to walk down the road again, closely followed by Akyra and Donald. They had taken only a few steps before they noticed something was missing.

"Er…Where's Sora?" Akyra asked, suddenly coming to a complete stop. Donald and Goofy suddenly stopped as well and turned to face her.

"Huh?" Donald asked as he scratched his feathered head.

"B-but he was right in front of us!" Goofy panicked, getting even more stressed out with every second that passed.

"Soraaaaaa!" He called.

"Sora! GET BACK HERE!" Donald quacked with his loudest quack. Akyra broke out into a run and kept her eyes peeled. Where could he be?

_He couldn't have gone that far…_she thought, _we only stopped for a few seconds_. She carefully placed her hand on her forehead and narrowed her eyes to get a better look. That was when she caught a glimpse of some unmistakably brown, spiky hair.

"Hey, Sora! SORA!" she screeched as she began running again.

"Akyra, wait up!" Goofy called as he grabbed a hold of Donald's hand and bolted down the path, trying his best to catch up with her.

* * *

"_Ahead lies something you hold dear…"_

Sora whirled around with an angry smirk and continued examining the fork in the road. The leaves and the grass danced as a frigid breeze lightly blew against his face. He could almost hear the wind whistling something incoherent in his ear. Yet, he felt that he was not alone. He couldn't see him, he couldn't hear him, but he still felt his presence lingering in the air.

_"But to claim it, you must lose something first…" _

Sora, slowly but surely, turned his head and faced the split path once again. His eyes widened as he watched the stranger with awe. He was entirely clothed in a hooded black robe, his face covered by the shadow of his hood. Sora gazed up at him, apparently too lost for words.

"Sora…Sora!" Goofy's voice echoed through the silent night.

"Huh?" Sora whispered, blinking rapidly as he snapped back into reality. He turned his head and again and placed his regard on his three friends running frantically in the distance. He grinned slightly and faced the stranger one last time. But, to his surprise, the stranger had vanished, leaving only one lonely path behind him.

* * *

"Where…were…you…?" Akyra panted heavily once they had reached him. 

"I was just-" he started as he gazed at the path before them. How would he explain to them his strange encounter? And how would he explain this stranger's words as well? Still, this meet couldn't have been a mere coincidence. This path led to where they have been travelling this whole time.

"Come on you guys!" he said reassuringly, pointing to the road ahead, "This is where were headed!"

With a triumphant smile, he broke into a run. Akyra, Donald and Goofy looked at one another with confused looks on their faces. Finally, Goofy shrugged his shoulders and followed Sora, leaving the last two friends trailing behind them.

* * *

"Come on, you guys! We're real close!" Sora said excitedly. 

"You've been saying that for the last half hour!" Donald raged, "I don't know what's gotten into you but I…whoa…"

His voice trailed off the moment he laid eyes on it. Dark brick walls covered by shining rooftops seemed to touch the sky as a multiple number of serrated extensions stuck out from every direction. It balanced evenly on a narrow cliff and many lights were lit on the inside. It was a magnificent yet eerie castle.

"It's…it's a…" Donald whispered in awe.

"A castle?" Akyra finished.

"No," Sora corrected her, "It's our destination."

With that, he took a few steps forward and stopped before the castle's entrance, placing his hands on the door's handle. With a grunt of effort, he pulled the handle with all the strength he had. However, the door didn't want to budge.

"Eh…"Donald sighed, shaking his head, "Come. Let's help him."

With Donald, Akyra and Goofy helping him, they easily managed to open the door within no time at all.

"Whew, that was easy!" Sora said afterwards.

"Yeah…right," Donald said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Sora yelled, slightly ticked off.

"Oh, come on! Without our help, you wouldn't have even been able to open the door to a sliver!"

"Oh, yeah?…" Akyra turned to face Goofy, rolled her eyes and motioned to the door. Goofy nodded and followed her to the door's handles. So, with one strong, final tug, the dual doors slowly swinged out of place and made a loud creaking sound as they came to a close behind the four friends...

* * *

Me: I have horrible news! I'm in Grade 10 in school this year and apparently it's the hardest and most work filled year. So, every chapter may have to come every... 2 or 3 months?  
Akyra: GAH! (faints)  
Me: I know, it's horrible. But, according to adults, if I don't do well in school this year than I can forget about having a successful career.  
Audience: Meh, the authoress is afraid of life.  
Me: What? I'm not afraid of life!  
Life: (walks in) Hey everybody!  
Me: GAH! (hides under bed)  
Life: What did I do now?  
Audience: I rest my case... 


	2. Cards

KH-Akyra: Eh! Sorry about the wait. School killed me.  
Audience: If school killed you, you wouldn't be alive now.  
KH-Akyra: Quiet you!Leave the smart-aleck stuff to Riku.  
Riku-deprived people: RIKU? (glomp Riku)  
Akyra: Meh...  
Kh-Akyra: Anyways, I won't be updating before Christmas so here's my Christmas present to you, dear readers. Happy Holidays!  
Akyra: What do you want for Christmas?  
KH-Akyra: I don't know. Something I need.  
Audience:How about a brain?  
KH-Akyra: O.o

Disclaimer: Why don't you take a break on Christmas? You're annoying us! (blasts disclaimer) I don't own Kingdom Hearts. But Akyra and the plot of this twisted story is mine! Mwahaha!

* * *

"It's so…sparkly…" Akyra purred as she gazed around in bewilderment. 

She was right. The inside of the castle was very…well…sparkly. The walls were so tall that they seemed to reach the sky and curved near the end to form a point. They were as soft as a freshly waxed marble floor and the bright white color gave it its sparkle. Along the end of the corridor was a large set of stairs along with a shining white door.

"Eh…I'd say it's more glittery than sparkly…" Goofy said, scratching his head.

"Same thing…" Donald grumbled.

"What's the matter, Donald? Does this place scare you?" Akyra asked, narrowing her eyes into a suspicious look, "Are you afraid some Heartless is going to creep up behind you and…" She took a few steps towards him, "ATTACK?"

"GAH!" Donald screeched. Akyra had just slightly pushed him but he was frightened just the same. His deafening quack was still echoing across the empty hallway.

"It sure is quiet in here…" Sora mumbled, still examining the castle.

"Maybe nobody's home…" Goofy said.

"Then we shouldn't just barge in like this," Jiminy said, who was perched on Goofy's hat with a pencil in his hands.

"But we have to if we're gonna find the king!" Donald quacked.

"The King? King Mickey's here?" Goofy cried in astonishment.

"Maybe, maybe not. Something just told me he's here, that's all…"

"Really, well now that you mention it, I was kind of thinking the same thing!" Goofy answered.

"You're right…" Akyra said as she placed a hand on her chin, as if deep in thought, "When I saw this castle… It sort of lit up in my mind."

"You're serious? I was thinking that too! One look at this castle and I just knew: They're here," Sora added in.

"Would you look at that!" Goofy said with a huge grin, "Great minds think alike I guess."

"Guess again. This can't be a mere coincidence," Jiminy added from the top of Goofy's hat.

"Are you telling us that-"

"That's right! I felt it too!"

"Gawrsh, maybe it's contagious!" Goofy said.

"Or maybe something funny's going on here!" Donald said, raising his voice a bit, " I say we go check it out!"

"Good idea!" Sora answered, making his way towards the end of the hall with Akyra.

"Wait! Where are you going?" he quacked once again.

"To check it out," Akyra answered as she spinned around to face him, "What's the matter? Are you still scared about before?" she taunted.

"D-don't be ridiculous! We're coming…" He pulled on his little blue shirt and waddled his way towards them, closely followed by Goofy.

No sooner had he taken another step when somehow, Sora felt like they were not alone. He turned around and gazed at the door, trying his best to get to the bottom of this strange presence. Strange presence… he had felt it before. Back when he was facing that fork in the road. He had felt the presence of that mysterious stranger who spoke to him. Somehow that same feeling had returned to haunt him again. With a confused smirk, he turned again and let out a frightened gasp. A person, entirely covered in hooded black robes, hovered before the team like a ghost.

"Who is that?" Goofy shuddered in fear.

"It must be a Heartless! Let's see how it handles my magic! THUNDER! Huh? That's odd. THUNDER! THUNDER! Umm... FIRE! Blizzard? I don't get it. Why isn't my magic working?" Donald asked, tapping his foot impatiently as he examined his staff.

"I should think it's obvious. The moment you set foot in this castle, you forgot every spell and ability you knew...though the forgetting does not end there," the cloaked stranger said, "In this place, to find is to lose and to lose is to find. That is the way of things in Castle Oblivion."

"Castle Oblivion?" Sora asked in awe.

"Yes…Here you will meet people you know, people you miss."

"Riku?" Akyra asked so softly it could have been a whisper.

"Riku! You mean Riku! He IS here!" Sora cried.

"Do you want to find him?" the stranger said softly. Before he could even utter an answer, the figure soared through the air and passed through Sora in a ghost-like way.

"What did you do?" Sora gasped after feeling the place where the stranger passed through.

"I sampled your memories," the unknown said as he turned to face them, a wad of cards in one of his hands, "And from them, I made this. This is the key to reuniting with those you hold dear." With that, the figure lightly tossed the cards into the air and watched as each one of them landed in Sora's palm.

"What is this? A card?"

"A promise. Use that card and press on. You will find your friend."

Sora shuffled through the cards. Some of them had odd shapes and patterns, pictures of Keyblades, Heartless and many different worlds. After a quick thought, Sora selected a card with the picture of tall buildings, flashy neon signs and a bell atop a large tower: Traverse Town.

"Hold the card before you," the stranger instructed, "The door will open, and beyond it a new world." Sora followed the stranger's instructions and approached the elegant door, the card held tightly in place by his firm grip.

"Like this?" he asked, turning slightly to see the unknown's answer.

"Yes. Go, Sora. To lose and claim anew, or to claim anew only to lose…" The stranger's voice slowly echoed and faded along with its figure. In a few seconds, the stranger had completely vanished.

"Come on, guys," Sora said with a smile, "Let's go!"

* * *

"Where…where am I…" 

Among the blinding thickness of the dark mist that shrouded the area, a tall figure with shining silver hair lay sprawled on the cold marble floor, mumbling to himself from time to time.

"Sleep"

"Who's there?" Riku screeched, bolting upright at the sound of another voice.

"Sleep. Here, between light and dark."

Riku shrugged, picked himself up and squinted through the darkness. That voice has got to have a body, right?

"Between...what? The king! Where's the king! Together we closed the door to darkness, and after that..." he let out a defeated sigh, "Grr, why can't I remember?"

"Your king is far away," the voice said, "Sleep, and leave the war with darkness in his hands. The thorny light of awakening will bring only anguish to one in your state. Turn from the light. Shut your eyes."

"You talk to me like I'm some kind of demon of the dark," Riku answered, slightly irritated.

"Can you face the truth?"

Before he had a chance to answer, the darkness before him started to swirl in a multitude of dark colors and formed a dark orb. Within it, Riku saw the pale outline of a card.

"Here, blanketed by the darkness, sleep is safety. Sleep is eternal."

Yet, Riku wasn't listening to him. He was still too fixated on the white card floating within the orb.

"Is this…a card?" he asked in awe.

"It is a door to the truth.," the voice explained, "Take it, and your sleep ends. Take it, and take the first step toward the truth. But know this: The truth will bring you pain. Will you still go? There can be no returning to the sweet security of sleep."

With wandering eyes, Riku reached into the orb and took the card, holding it gingerly in his palm.

"Yeah, well… It seems like a boring place to take a nap anyway," he answered with one of his smart-alecky responses.

"Well said, Riku."

Suddenly, the darkness started to clear around him and revealed the inside of a huge, pearly white castle. He stood in a long, narrow corridor with a tall flight of stairs at its end. Riku took another look at the card and played around with it.

"A door to the truth, huh..." he said softly, gazing longingly at his card.

* * *

KH-Akyra: Wow, I just realized it will take a lot of time to finish this story.  
Akyra: (sob)  
KH-Akyra: I can't take it anymore! I have to tell someone what happens!  
Audience: You can tell us! (takes out notebook)  
KH-Akyra: Okay! It all starts with - (scene cuts)  
(blank screen for several minutes)  
(scene starts again)  
KH-Akyra: And that's what happens!  
Audience: (takes notes)  
Akyra: HEY! The scene cut! No fair!  
KH-Akyra: Oh well, you'll find out sooner or later.  
Akyra: (grumble) (plots evil plan to steal audience notebook) 


	3. Illusions Of A Memory

--KH-Akyra: So sorry for the delay. I was on Christmas vacation out of the city, at my grandparents' house. Sadly they have no computer down there except for a laptop with absoloutely no memory left and may implode if I submit another Word document. O.o  
Audience: Is it just us or are your excuses getting more corny?  
KH-Akyra: It's the truth!  
Audience: SURE it is...  
Akyra: We hope everyone has had a Happy Holiday season!  
KH-Akyra: Speaking of happiness, Akyra's birthday is this Saturday, January 7th.  
Akyra: It is? FWEEE!  
KH-Akyra: It seems like only yesterday I imagined and created you.  
Akyra: What's a birthday without presents?  
Audience: We're not giving you presents!  
Akyra: (casts Thundaga spell) INDULGE ME WITH PRESENTS OR SUFFER MY WRATH!  
Audience: (gulp)--

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Microsoft Word. Wanna know what I own? YOUR MIND! Mwahaha! (cough) Just kidding.

* * *

"Wait, this can't be right. We're in Traverse Town!" Sora exclaimed, rubbing his eyes to get a better look. Of course, he had seen the picture of Traverse Town on his card but he didn't expect the card to actually bring him there! 

"It isn't reality that you see. This town is an illusion conceived by your memories fixed in that card," said the voice of the stranger who had brought all this confusion in the first place.

"An illusion from my memories?" Sora thought out loud, not bothering to turn around and face the unknown.

"Forget that, Sora! We're three heads short," Jiminy cried from the top of Sora's head.

"What? What are you-" Sora asked but soon realized that Jiminy had spoken the truth. Donald, Akyra and Goofy were nowhere to be found.

"Guys? Guys! Where are you?" he cried in panic as he searched everywhere for his friends. Why, he even checked behind the small, silver garbage bin behind the item shop. Still, he found no trace of his friends.

"What did you do with them?" he asked the stranger angrily. There was only one other person with them when they entered Traverse Town. The unknown must know something about their disappearance, right?

"They are at the mercy of the cards now. Master the cards, and their strength will be yours again," the unknown explained, "The laws of this castle require that your friends be transformed into cards. If you value your friends, you will pick them up without fail."

The moment he ended his speech, the stranger drew three cards and tossed them at Sora, who caught them all in one shot. He shot a furious glare at the unknown and examined the cards he had just received. No, hang on. Something wasn't right here. Each of his friends were plastered on a card. Sora stared at each of the cards in shock. There they were, full figure and all, on a meaningless playing card.

"When trouble approaches, your friends will become cards. The cards you use in battle vanish, but they will reappear to aid you time and again. Cards are the hearts of your friends," the stranger explained.

"Their hearts?" Sora asked, "But why must they be cards?"

" Everything in this castle is ruled by cards. Whether an enemy or a door stands in your way, cards are the only way to proceed. But you mustn't forget your own strength."

Sora didn't answer. He was too busy staring at his cards and waiting for all this information to sink in.

"So, Keyblade Master. Are you ready for Castle Oblivion?" the unknown asked in a soft yet powerful voice. Sora took one last look at his cards, raised his head and nodded.

"I'm ready," he said bravely.

Almost suddenly, the three cards he had been holding freed themselves from his clutches and glided around him, glowing with a blinding white light. The light was so blight that Sora had to flinch to protect his eyes. But the light slowly dimmed after a couple of seconds, leaving three shaky figures where the cards once stood.

"Are you all right? Where have you guys been?" Sora asked as he approached his friends.

"You tell us! When you opened the door, there was this weird light...and the rest is a big blank," Donald moaned, rubbing his head.

"Well, try to remember what happened. I need to keep my journal up to date," Jiminy said.

"Hey, nice clothes, Donald," Akyra said, brushing some dust off the side of her skirt.

"Why, thank you! Huh? Hey! Somebody's been messing with our clothes!"

"They messed with mine too!" Goofy exclaimed, taking a look at his new duds.

"Ha!" Akyra taunted, "No one has messed with MY clothes."

"Now that just isn't fair," Donald grumbled.

"Let me guess," Sora said, "The cards again?"

"That is for you to ponder," the hooded stranger answered, "Master the cards and make your way through the castle. From here on, you walk alone."

"Alone?" Akyra asked, shuddering at the sound of the word.

"You mean we can't go with him? That's not fair either!" Goofy argued.

"Yeah," Donald agreed, "Sora can't do anything without our help!"

"Thanks a lot, Donald!" Sora answered sarcastically.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Akyra asked.

"Of course!" Sora assured them, "You want me to go alone? Fine. I can take care of myself."

"Hmm, the hero speaks boldly. Go, then. The rest of Castle Oblivion awaits. Walk the avenues of hidden memory, and you shall meet someone dear to you."

With those final words spoken, the hooded unknown vanished into nothingness.

"Eh, sounds like an adventure to me!" Akyra squealed, hoping to lighten the mood. Her face fell when she found out that her plan didn't work. Sora, Donald and Goofy looked just as perplexed as they did when they set eyes on this castle. The silence was suddenly broken by a sound of rhythmic swirling. Odd as it is, they have heard this sound before. The sound made when a dark portal opened to reveal a…

"Heartless!" Donald quacked. Five Shadow Heartless had materialized from the dark portals, twitching and squirming, ready for battle. A bright light had also begun to glow behind Sora and in no time at all, three cards flew from behind him and landed in his palm. Suddenly, he began remembering what the stranger had explained.

"_Whether an enemy or a door stands in your way, cards are the only way to proceed. The cards you use in battle vanish, but they will reappear to aid you time and again. Cards are the hearts of your friends…"_

"Alright guys," Sora spoke into thin air, "Time to show me the power of the cards!"

* * *

Sora examined the three cards and noticed something peculiar about them. Donald and Akyra's cards had minuscule writing underneath their names while Goofy's had nothing particular. He quickly decided to use Goofy. Remembering how he had entered Traverse Town in the first place, he held the card above his head. With a flash of light, Goofy appeared before him and slashed three Heartless with his trusty shield. But, as soon as the Heartless disappeared, Goofy disappeared along with them, leaving Sora with two Heartless and two cards. He took this time to examine the minuscule writing below their names. Underneath Akyra's name was plastered '_Offensive Magic_' while '_Defensive Magic_' was printed underneath Donald's name. What was that supposed to mean? 

"There are two kinds of magic?" Sora asked himself. But, as he searched longingly for the answer, he failed to notice one of the Heartless slowly creep towards him, readying its claws. It took a good slash at Sora, who kneeled to the ground in pain. There was no time to puzzle on some weird writing. He had to get rid of these Heartless, pronto! Without hesitating once, he raised the Donald card and hoped that he would be able to get rid of the remaining Heartless.

"I'll need to be cured if I ever get out of this," he muttered to himself.

"No problem, buddy!" said a familiar quacking voice.

"Huh?" Sora muttered as he turned to face Donald.

With a smile on his face, Donald swished his staff and placed it upright as a flash of green light hovered above Sora. As soon as he did this, though, he vanished. But Sora felt slightly different. He no longer felt pain where the Heartless had slashed him. Donald had healed him. _Defensive Magic_…But of course! How could he have been so blind? Donald casts defensive magic, meaning he can heal, stop Heartless from moving or even summon a barrier that absorbs damage. So, if Donald defends with magic then surely Akyra attacks with magic.

"So that's how it works!" Sora yelled with glee even though nobody could hear him. He drew his final card and held it high above his head. As he saw the beam of light hover on top of his head, he thought about how he wanted these Heartless defeated. He wanted them frozen.

"Blizzard!" he said in a commanding voice once Akyra materialized.

"You got it!" she assured him as she channelled the final two Heartless.

"Deep Freeze!" She screeched, unleashing two giant snowflakes that hit the Heartless squarely. As Sora watched the last Heartless vanish and Akyra turn back into a card, he couldn't help but smile at the result of his first battle. Maybe the cards weren't so hard to master after all…

* * *

"What is going on here?" Riku yelled in fury. Sure, he did exactly what the invisible voice told him to do with the card. But he didn't expect the card to transport him to another place. And, seriously. Of all the places, why this one? 

"This is Maleficent's castle!" he raged, "How'd I end up HERE? Someone must have brought me here while I was sleeping. But who?"

"What you see is not real. It's the world of your memory," said the voice that instructed him about the cards. The voice that kept him company.

"My memory?" Riku asked.

"The things you remember of Maleficent's castle from your time there. Those memories became a card, and that card made this world. The things you see…you've seen them all before, haven't you?"

"Yeah," Riku said softly, "So what now? Am I supposed to learn something while I'm here? Maybe run into something I know?" he asked again.

"Ordinarily…yes. You would meet the people in your memories."

"Ordinarily?" Riku asked sarcastically, waiting for some shadowy, gloomy, I'm-smart-because-I-use-big-words, riddle-me-this response. Though, it never came.

"Hey, I'm asking you a question!" Riku yelled into nothingness. When no answer could be heard, he drooped his head and shook it in disbelief.

"_If I keep talking to some invisible voice like this, I'd be permanently labelled 'Mental Case'_" he thought.

"Fine," Riku answered bitterly, "But it'd better be you I run across next, Voice. I'm sick of talking to thin air."

* * *

--Akyra: I want more cake, slaves!  
Audience: Yeah, hold your horses.  
KH-Akyra: Oh, and while you're at it, slaves, can you take the garbage out? Pwease?  
Audience: Why, it never takes me out! Haha! Get it? Take the garbage out? Take it out on a date? Never takes me out? On a date? Hahaha, I crack myself up.  
KH-Akyra/ Akyra: GAH! (faints from atrociously bad pun)  
Audience: Yay! They're gone! (eats cake)-- 


	4. How Could You Have Forgotten?

KH-Akyra: Next chappie's up!  
Audience: No duh, Sherlock.  
Akyra: (sob)You guys are mean...  
KH-Akyra: Anyways, the battle with the Heartless you saw in the last chapter is the first and last battle you'll ever read. I never quite understood how you battle with cards in COM O.o...  
Audience: She read the battle tutorials three times and still didn't understand. (glares at authoress) That's just pathetic.  
KH-Akyra: Quiet you! (blasts audience)  
Audience: (ish blasted)  
KH-Akyra: Now that they're gone, meet the new, better member of my posse: Larxene!  
Larxene: PATHETIC FOOLS!  
Akyra: O.o She's better?

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. Know anybody who does?

* * *

"Fighting on my own wasn't too tough this time. Still, I'd better be careful…" Sora thought out loud, watching his three cards as they slowly began to glow. 

"Huh?" he mumbled in awe. The cards, still glowing, began to form into three separate figures; one tall, one short and one roughly the same size as him. He approached and observed the three figures and jumped back in surprise when the light faded and revealed his three friends. For some strange reason, he completely neglected the fact that the cards actually were the hearts of his friends. Castle Oblivion can really take its toll on your mind.

"Aaaah! Don't pop out of nowhere like that!" he shrieked in horror.

"Oh yeah, like its our fault!" Akyra answered, an unmistakable note of sarcasm in her voice.

"We don't know what's going on either!" Donald added in, scratching the back of his head.

"Gawrsh, your fighting's gotten kinda rusty. You sure you don't need us?" Goofy asked.

"I'm fine, honest…" Sora answered. He was obviously lying.

"Think like that, and you're as good as Heartless fodder…" Sora recognized that voice at once.

"Leon, it's you! What are you doing in Castle Oblivion?" he asked, not even turning around to double-check if the voice actually did belong to Leon. Yet, Sora had guessed correctly for, at that very moment, Leon took a few steps into the light.

"Castle Oblivion? What are you talking about?" Leon asked, a confused look on his face, "This is Traverse Town. And how do you know my name? I've never seen any of you before in my life."

"Quit playing, Leon! We all fought the Heartless together! You know that!" Sora answered. He seemed to be getting aggravated really quickly.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know your names," Leon replied.

"You don't?" Goofy asked sadly. He looked as if he was about to cry.

"Sorry," Leon answered in his usual, bland tone.

"I don't believe it. How could you have forgotten about us?" Sora asked through slightly gritted teeth.

"Hey, I feel for you. But you've got the wrong guy. Happens all the time. Don't take it so personally, Sora," Leon answered.

"You DO know his name!" Donald cried in shock at the very moment Leon uttered Sora's name.

"Now, now hold on! Why do I know your name?" he asked, looking around wildly at the four glaring friends.

"Leon, you're a horrible liar," Akyra said, crossing her arms.

"I'm not lying, Akyra. I seriously don't —"

"There you go again! If you really are trying to lie to us, the least you can do is be a little more secretive," she said angrily.

"Maybe he isn't lying, Akyra. Maybe he's just kidding around," Goofy suggested.

"If he is, it's not very funny. Sora's really hurt," Donald argued.

"Who's kidding around, Goofy? You and Donald are the ones who —"

"Aw, geez…" Akyra sighed, placing her hand on her forehead in disbelief. Is he putting them on?

"I don't understand. What's happening to my memory?" Leon asked.

Taking a good, long look at him, the team didn't know whether to believe him or not. This was an unusual situation, that's for sure. But was Leon actually speaking the truth? Did their names really come to him once he spoke of them?

"I don't know, Leon. Maybe Aerith was onto something after all," said the voice of a familiar ninja. Yuffie walked into the light and took her place next to Leon.

"She said she sensed some uncanny kind of power and asked us to look into it. Well, we looked. And this is as uncanny as it gets. Maybe we should bring Sora and the others to Aerith," Yuffie suggested.

"I bet you 20 munny you can't count how many times Yuffie said the word 'uncanny'" Akyra whispered in Goofy's ear.

"You're on!" he said frankly and began counting with his fingers.

"Yuffie, you know my name!" Sora said, his anger appeasing.

"Yep! Looks like you know mine too!" she squealed.

"A friend of yours?" Leon asked blandly. No one ever could tell what Leon was feeling. He always spoke in a simple, expressionless tone.

"Nope! Total stranger. But I definitely know his name. Strange, yes, but convenient! We can skip the introductions," she answered, shaking her head lightly.

"Erm, three times!" Goofy guessed.

"Nope, she said it twice. Pay up," Akyra answered, stretching out her hand, awaiting her winnings.

"Aw, nuts!" Goofy said in disappointment, rummaging his pockets for loose change.

"Well, gee, Yuffie. I guess all are problems are solved." Leon said blandly…again.

"Anyway, Aerith may want to hear of this. Why don't you follow me and I'll bring you to her?" Yuffie asked. Sora nodded in agreement.

"Great! Let's go!" With that, she turned around and marched toward the Second District, the four friends following closely behind.

"Be careful, though. There are still Heartless wandering around town," Leon called, trying to warn them while they were still within earshot.

* * *

"It's like he said — everything's just how I remember it. Even this room..." Riku sighed. During his journey through Hollow Bastion, Riku had stopped at every place that was memorable to him. The Great Hall, the prison where they held the princesses and somehow he had managed to stumble across his old room. 

"It must be nice being back in your old bedroom. Think of all the memories..."

"You again…" Riku answered back at the voice. He had become used to this bodiless voice to the point where he could guess its presence, "Sorry, but these memories I could do without. Maleficent gave me this room."

"So she did. And you lived here, tempted by the darkness she offered. You cast away your home, your friends, everything... But at least they gave you a nice room."

"Shut up…" Riku snarled as he stormed out of his bedroom filled with unforgivable memories…

* * *

"Aerith, tell me you haven't forgotten me too," Sora asked her sadly, yet straightforward. Judging by the expressionless way she stared at him, Sora hung his head in disbelief. She had forgotten them too. 

"I don't know whether to say "nice to meet you" or "good to see you again." It feels like a little of both. I don't think I know you, but I still feel like you belong here," she answered. They can see in her eyes that she had spoken the truth.

"Yeah, exactly! Like we've never met, but it still doesn't feel weird knowing your name," Yuffie added in from the other side of the small, vacant house where they used to find refuge.

"But I'm telling you, we HAVE met!" Sora persisted, "We took on the Heartless together. We were a team!"

"It feels like you're right…But I can't remember," Leon answered, burying his head in his gloved hands.

"Then I guess you won't remember what you told me," Sora sighed, "In Hollow Bastion, when I sealed the Keyhole: "We may never meet again...""

"…but we'll never forget each other," Leon finished.

"See, you do remember!" Donald quacked as he hopped, trying to reach Leon's height.

"He's right, Leon!" Yuffie agreed, "I remember you saying that, too."

"I guess I can't write it off as a coincidence, then," he confessed.

"I don't think I have any memory of it...but somehow I still remember. Maybe Sora's heart is doing the remembering for us," Aerith suggested.

"How is THAT supposed to work?" Sora asked.

"We don't know you, Sora, but your heart is full of memories of us together," Aerith explained,

"Those memories must resonate in our hearts, too. Maybe they tell us things we couldn't otherwise know." After Aerith had finished her explanation, everyone had fallen silent, still waiting for all this information to sink in. Finally, Leon spoke up.

"So you're saying that Sora's memories are affecting ours?"

"His memories seem to have a certain power," Aerith concluded.

"Maybe it's like that guy said, then," Sora added in as he crossed his arms, "This town is just an illusion. Something my memories created."

"And…there's someone special to you in this town?" Aerith asked hopefully.

"How did you…" Sora began but then quickly changed his answer, "Ah, I get it. My memories are resonating with yours, telling you what happened. Anyway, yeah. A friend of mine is somewhere in this town — I mean, Castle Oblivion."

"Castle Oblivion? What's that? There aren't any castles in Traverse Town," Yuffie explained.

"Erm… That's not quite what I mean," Sora said softly, scratching the back of his head.

"Sora probably still has his own questions. Right?" Aerith added, staring at him with a gentle look.

"Right," Sora answered with confidence, "We just got here, after all. It wouldn't hurt to take a look around."

"Then go have a walk around town. There are Heartless, but that's no problem for you," Leon suggested.

"So you DO know I can fight!" Sora answered, crossing his arms in triumph.

"I can't say I remember…" Leon corrected him, "but I am starting to believe…"

* * *

"No one here, either..." Riku sighed, desperately trying to catch his breath. After that little adventure he had had in his old room, the castle seemed deserted and empty. Even the spiders that lived in the walls' deep cracks were gone. He was starting to feel really lonely. 

"There's nothing but Heartless in this castle," he moaned. Suddenly, Riku felt a presence. Not the kind you feel when some stranger is breathing down your neck. The feeling you get when someone annoying has returned.

"Voice!" Riku yelled, "I know you're watching… so explain this: Where are the people from my memories? Tell me!"

"Are you sure you want to see them?" the voice asked.

"Of course I do!" he answered almost instantly.

"But you cast them aside. To reach the outside world, you passed through the door to darkness. Behind you, you left family, friends, home...everything...all in pursuit of darkness."

These words pierced Riku. Every memory he had, starting from the night the Destiny Islands disappeared all the way up to when he helped close the door to Kingdom Hearts, haunted him in a way you never knew possible. The guilt he felt tortured him, and there was no way he can undo the mistakes he had made. Yet, he still found solace in the answer he gave to that voice.

"But I cast darkness aside too!" he yelled with a mix of fury and triumph.

"Then what do you have to show for it?" the voice answered, "First your home, then the dark. Your heart only knows how to throw things away. It's empty, like that room. Like your memories. That's why no one is in the castle with you. Your heart is hollow except for the darkness you couldn't quite shake off."

Riku realized he was wrong. These words pierced him deeper than the last ones. But, the shame of his past changed into anger towards the sickening voice.

"You're full of it! I rejected the darkness!" he retorted.

"Ha ha ha…" the voice taunted, "Did you really, now?"

* * *

"Erm… Is it just me or did it suddenly get colder in here?" Donald asked, his teeth grinding with cold. 

"No…I'd say it's just you," Akyra answered, stretching her arms out to the sky. The team had been strolling around the plaza. Though, it just seemed they were going around in circles, not even paying attention to their surroundings.

"I wonder what Aerith meant by Sora's memories are affecting theirs?" Goofy asked.

"I guess it goes all the way back to when we met that stranger. The one who gave me these cards. He said this town is an illusion, based on these cards from my memories," Sora answered, holding up his cards again for all of them to see.

"As far as I'm concerned, I would've just socked it to him," Akyra said, "There's something funny going on in this castle. I can feel it…"

"I agree," Goofy added, "or things wouldn't have been so complicated.

"Maybe…" Sora sighed, looking down at his cards.

"Heh…that's odd. Cid wasn't standing there before," Donald said, pointing over to the centre of the Third District. Sure enough, Cid oddly stood right in the middle of the plaza, as if he had appeared like magic.

"Well, whaddaya know. It's Sora!" Cid greeted them, "Wait, what am I saying? I don't know you. But you do LOOK like a Sora, what with the spiky hair and baggy pants... Guess I just call 'em like I see 'em." The four of them weren't surprised at his reaction. If nobody else remembers them, why would Cid be any different?

"It's okay, Cid. That's my name," Sora said.

"So you've heard of me!" Cid chuckled, "Well, I can't say I'm surprised."

"Anyway, maybe you can help me out," Sora said, changing the subject,

"A friend of ours is supposed to be somewhere in this castle… er…town."

"Yer friend, huh?" Cid said, cocking one eyebrow, "Lately all this town sees is Heartless. Can't even take two steps without getting attacked. This plaza's the worst. Word is we'll have a jumbo-sized Heartless on our hands when that bell rings. If you value your hide, you'll get out of here while the getting's good." With that, Cid spinned around and dashed towards the small house up the stairs.

"A bell, huh?" Akyra muttered as she scratched her head, deep in thought, "Why does that ring a bell?"

"Maybe we should get out of here…" Goofy suggested.

"Aw, come on! Don't you want to see the Heartless?" Sora asked.

"NO, we DON'T!" Donald screeched. Suddenly, the booming echo of a bell filled the plaza.

"The bell!" Goofy cried.

"Sora, look out!" Akyra warned as a bright light began to engulf her. Watching his friends transform into cards and a familiar Heartless emerge from the rumbling ground, Sora realized that it was, once again, time for battle…

* * *

"So your friend wasn't here?" Yuffie asked the team once Guard Armor had been disposed of. Truth being told, Sora was getting better at fighting with cards. But he still had a long way to go before mastering them. 

"No, I don't think I'll find him in this town. But he's somewhere in this castle. I just know it," Sora guaranteed.

"Castle?" Cid questioned, "Like this whole town's inside some humongous castle? Hoo, that's rich!"

"He's probably right, Cid. We may not understand what's going on, but Sora does. He can see that reality is bigger than just this world," Leon answered.

"I wish I was that sure…" Sora sighed, drooping his head in shame.

"You'll be okay, Sora," Leon heartened, "No matter what shape reality takes, you can handle it. I may not remember you, but I know you're in my heart."

"Take care, Sora," Yuffie added, following Leon out of the vacant house.

"I'm a little lost...but best of luck anyway," Cid said, being the final one walking out of the house.

* * *

The four friends were wandering towards the plaza until something hit them. How do you exit an illusion? 

"Erm… Where do we go now?" Akyra asked.

"I'm pretty sure we came in through that door," Goofy said, pointing to a random door that nobody had noticed before.

"Nah, I'd say that door," Donald said, pointing to another random door that nobody had noticed before.

"Are you sure we even came through a door? I don't seem to remember…" Akyra answered, scratching her head. But, all the while his friends were shuffling through their clueless thoughts, Sora left their side and approached Aerith, who had appeared out of nowhere. It should begin to get a little suspicious how these illusions keep popping out of nowhere but Sora was none the wiser.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Something seemed to be troubling her.

"I don't have all the answers, but there's something I thought you should know," she said as she took a big breath, "Your memories created this town, right?"

"That's what the guy who gave me the card said," he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"If that's true, then this town is just a figment of your mind...and so are we," Aerith said desolately.

"But...you can't be a figment! You're standing right here. The town is here, too!" Sora complained.

"But I'm not really me," she continued, "I don't remember the things I should. I sense things I shouldn't. Sora…Beware your memories. In the journey to come, you'll be faced with more illusions. Sometimes the shadows of your memory will deceive you, try to lead you astray."

"So, uh…what exactly does that mean?" he asked.

"I'm just another illusion, Sora" she answered, "The truth is out of my reach."

"Don't say stuff like that," Sora sighed, "It's depressing."

"No, Sora! You mustn't let illusions distract you from what's truly important!" Aerith warned. Sora stared blankly at her, waiting for this information to sink in. But he took her word for it and nodded in agreement.

"Okay," he answered.

"Come on, Sora! We THINK we found the exit," Akyra called.

"Alright, I'll be right there," he said, turning back to Aerith, "Well, Aerith, I'd better be going…huh?"

But Aerith had vanished into thin air.

"What about Aerith?" Donald asked.

"She's gone!" Sora panicked, "I was just talking to her, and now she's gone!"

"You were talking to Aerith?" Akyra asked with a touch of confusion in her voice.

"She left with Leon and the others, remember?" Goofy asked, slightly confused by Sora's words.

"I don't understand…" Sora sighed.

"You were standing here by yourself," Donald continued, "WE wondered what was going on."

"So this is what she meant…" Sora murmured to himself as he took another look at his cards.

Nothing seemed right anymore. Every time he gained an answer to one of his questions about this castle, that answer only brought up even more questions. With one last blank look at his cards, he stuffed them in his pocket and followed the others through the so-thought exit, his head spinning. Little did they know that their adventure had only just begun…

* * *

KH-Akyra: DUN DUN DUN!  
Larxene: You're all delusional!  
Akyra: (gasp) You're mean!  
KH-Akyra: That's it, I'm bringing the audience back. (kicks out Larxene)  
Audience: Yay, we're back!  
Akyra: We missed you audience! (hugs audience)  
Audience: We didn't miss you!  
Akyra: Meanies!  
Audience/Akyra: (ish locked in a heroic battle)  
KH-Akyra: (sniff) Aw... They're friends again XD 


	5. Your Journey Begins Now

--Me: Yes, the chappie's late. Feel free to poke me. NO SPORKS!  
Audience: Aw...(puts sporks down)  
Akyra: (pokes authoress) Hehe...  
Me: Anyways, enjoy it. You may poke me afterwards as well. NO PITCHFORKS!  
Audience: Aw... (puts pitchforks down)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. (pokes disclaimer with a spork) HAHAHA! You can't tell me not to poke you with sporks. (cheesy grin)

* * *

"I knew you'd return, Riku…" The sound of her voice alone sent chills down Riku's spine. Of all people to run into, did it really have to be the witch who tried to manipulate him into doing her dirty work? At this time, Riku would have given up anything to be alone with his memories again. 

"Maleficent! You're alive?" he called to her.

"You haven't been paying attention," the witch said gently, "I am but a figment of your memory."

"Of all the people I could run into, it had to be you…" Riku sighed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Who else?" she retorted, "Your heart is steeped in darkness. You can only see people who exist in that same darkness…people like me."

"No…" he heaved with a sigh. Not this again. Anything but this. He was so fed up of others reminding him of his past and how he gave in to the darkness… gave up his family… his home… his friends…

"Be grateful you have someone to keep you company," she continued, "Your heart is empty. Were it not for the darkness in your heart...you would be completely alone."

He couldn't take it anymore. He won't just stand there and let himself be devoured in a sea of guilt. Someone has to pay.

"That's sounding pretty good right about now," Riku said through gritted teeth.

"Come, now," Maleficent said with a laugh, "You once clung to me to sate your hunger for darkness. You want me here. Who else but I can give you the darkness you long for?"

"There was a time I did want you around," Riku suddenly interrupted, "I surrendered my heart to the dark…" He hung his head to one side and lowered his voice to a menacing, hateful tone, "But never again. You and your darkness have nothing to offer. All I did was lose myself... Empty myself! I'm finished with all that. If I'm stuck seeing people like you, people of the dark... I'll take you out one by one!"

"Then don't forget to take yourself out last!" the witch scolded, "Because you, like me, are one of the dark…"

A new feeling had formed inside Riku during his conversation with Maleficent. A feeling that overpowered his guilt. Anger.

"That's fine with me. I turned to darkness because my heart was weak. I hate that weakness. It's like I'm my own enemy. And seeing people like you embrace the darkness just makes it worse! Enough talk, Maleficent!" he roared.

"So you hate the darkness enough to fight it…" Maleficent said, shaking her head, "Oh, the agony you must feel! Let me end your pain, Riku...end it forever with the wondrous power of darkness!"

Riku watched in awe as his once most trusted being engulfed herself in green flames to transform into a huge black dragon, spitting green flames that sizzled around him like molten green lava.

* * *

"So…erm… Where exactly do we go now?" Akyra asked. They had (finally) located the exit to Traverse Town and found themselves on the second floor of Castle Oblivion. The only problem was that they had no more world cards and absolutely no idea where to go next. But this problem was quickly fixed when the voice of the unknown stranger echoed through the marble walls. 

"Well, Sora? Did you enjoy meeting your memories?" "It was good to see everyone again," Sora confessed, "but why show me an illusion? What do you want from me?"

"That only depends on what you have to give," said the stranger, taking a few steps towards Sora. They were suddenly rudely interrupted by the appearance of another person looking similar to the stranger. He was wearing the same black coat except he didn't possess a hood, which revealed his spiky red hair.

"Boo," he said with a pathetic attempt to frighten them.

"What do you want?" the hooded unknown asked with an irritated tone.

"I got bored, what with you hogging the hero."

"Perhaps YOU'D like to test him, then?" the hooded stranger answered, tossing a couple of cards to the other stranger.

"Perhaps I would!" the other stranger answered angrily but before he had the chance to speak, the hooded unknown had disappeared. He then turned to face Sora and said, "Looks like it's my show now, Keyblade master. My name is Axel. Commit it to memory."

"Um…sure…" Sora answered, a little unsure about what will happen next.

"Good, you learn quick. So, Sora, now that we're on a first-name basis…" A bright light appeared behind Sora as his friends began transforming into cards and another red light shone in front of him as the stranger summoned his weapons. Two circlets of some sort adorned with red spikes. "…don't go dying on me!"

* * *

"Why do you shun the dark?" the bodiless voice asked sweetly. 

"Oh, come on," Riku said, crossing his arms, "I know you heard every word I said to Maleficent."

"Darkness is your weapon," the voice said coolly, "I need you to accept it." These words rang oddly familiar in Riku's ears. He'd heard them before… somewhere. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"What do you care?" Riku asked in hopes of having his question answered.

"Stop resisting and accept the darkness. You must...if you are to serve me again!" Now he remembered. None other than the most hated person in the castle spoke those words.

"Ansem…Just as I thought," Riku answered, turning around to face him.

"You don't seem surprised…" the so-called King of Darkness answered.

"You always were chatty when it came to darkness," Riku sighed, "So let me guess... You want to pull me back into the darkness and play puppet master again...right?"

"Clever boy," Ansem chuckled, "You'll make a fine host. Now, surrender to me again and-" He was suddenly interrupted by Riku, who replied, "You're insane!" He quickly drew his sword and charged at him, "There won't be an 'again'!"

Before he had the chance to take a good slash at him, Ansem had effortlessly summoned two balls of darkness and pushed Riku away.

"Did you really think you could harm me?" he taunted, making a few steps towards his prey, who was still lying on the ground, "A weakling like you couldn't even defeat Sora...and you had darkness on your side."

"Excuse me…" Riku groaned, "For being weak…"

"You need the darkness," Ansem continued, "Submit! Bow to the darkness, and bow to me!"

"Not…a…chance…" Riku grunted, trying his best to get up.

"Only darkness can help you now!" Ansem's voice boomed across the basement walls. But, before he was able to take another step, another voice interrupted him. A different one. A slightly high-pitched one.

"You're wrong!"

"That voice!" Riku called, starting to feel a little hopeful, "Your Majesty, is that you?"

"You betcha!" Mickey answered, "Riku, you're not alone. Listen careful now. The light will never give up on you. You'll always find it, even in the deepest darkness! But you have to believe!" Riku didn't need to hear it again. Just having Mickey there gave him all the reassurance he needed.

"I will! Hear that, Ansem? I'm not losing to the darkness today!" he called, scrambling to his feet and drawing his weapon.

"You think some feeble light can save you from the darkness I command? Fool!"

* * *

Sora's battle with Axel was a breeze. Except for one little detail. Once Sora had spectacularly finished him off, Axel dropped a couple of cards and vanished into thin air. Sora picked them up and watched each of them in curiosity as he waited for his friends to come back. 

"More cards?" Goofy asked.

"They look kind of like the card that made Traverse Town," Jiminy guessed from the top of Donald's hat.

"Then we need these to go on…" Sora concluded.

"Correct!" Axel's voice called from in front of them. They didn't notice he had re-appeared in front of them and Donald let out a shriek of fright upon seeing him.

"Donald… You have got to do something about this terror problem of yours," Akyra said.

"It's perfectly normal to be scared!" Donald shivered.

"Yes, but there are many more terrifying things than a guy popping up in front of you," she finished.

For some strange reason, Axel seemed annoyed when Akyra called him 'a guy'. But, he decided to carry on anyways.

"Besides, after an introduction like that, you don't think I'd just give up the ghost?" Axel continued.

"So you were just testing our strength!" Sora declared once he began to understand what was going on.

"Congratulations, Sora. You passed! You're ready to take on Castle Oblivion. Follow your memories. Trust what you remember, seek what you forget...and you will find someone very special." Axel said with a smile.

"You mean Riku and the King?" Goofy asked curiously.

"Well, I don't know," he admitted, "You'll just have to give some more thought to who is most important to you. Our most precious memories lie deep in our hearts, out of reach. But you can find yours, Sora."

"Where? How?" Sora called, eager to find the answer.

"The light within the darkness. You've lost sight of it, Sora. You've forgotten forgetting." Sora sighed. Instead of getting an answer to his question, he gets confusing advice from a person he hardly knows.

"Light?" he asked, "I don't understand…"

"Would you like a hint?" Axel asked.

The three allies surrounding Sora looked at him with steady eyes, eager to know his answer. Sora would have traded many things to get at least one hint from anyone concerning Castle Oblivion and the mysteries inside it. But another feeling told him to get through the castle without any help. As long as he doesn't forget his friends, he can overcome anything. Castle Oblivion just happens to be one of those things. And seriously; how can he forget his friends?

"Well, Sora?" Akyra asked. "No, I want to figure it out for myself. And if you get in my way..." Sora answered, slightly angered.

"He won't! We won't let him!" Donald quacked with rage.

"That's my kind of answer," Axel said with a chuckle, "Just what I'd expect from the Keyblade master. But be forewarned... When your sleeping memories awaken, you may no longer be you." He cracked a final satisfied yet angered smile and vanished.

"We're proud of you, Sora!" Goofy said, letting out a huge laugh.

"Thanks. Besides, this shouldn't be too hard. Sounds like an adventure to me!" Sora said with a smile.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Akyra said, skipping towards another set of staircases, "Let's go!"

The four of them dashed over towards the staircase and cautiously selected a world card from Sora's new batch. Little did they know that they weren't the only ones in the hallway at that time. Axel carefully watched each of their moves, as if he were examining them for an experiment. He watched them from the far upper corner of the ceiling, hiding in the shadows of the lights. Any normal eye would not have spotted him. Neither did the eyes of a blonde-haired woman wearing the same coat as Axel and the unknown who had just appeared next to him without even realizing it.

"Why are you here, Larxene?" Axel demanded. The woman named Larxene gasped when she heard her name and put on an angry expression. Maybe, like Donald, she didn't like being frightened.

"Same as always," she answered, "Prowling… Lurking…"

"Making a mess?" Axel finished. Larxene scoffed angrily and turned her attention to the group of friends trying to decide which card to use next. After a few moments of stillness, Axel broke the silence.

"Sora seems strong…" he sighed.

"You're pretty worked up over this punk, aren't you?" Larxene said curtly.

"His heart is what interests me…" Axel said coolly. Larxene looked up at him with a facial expression showing that she thought that was absurd and that she didn't care.

"Whatever… Just make sure you don't forget to obey your orders." As she said this, she stood up and was prepared to leave until Axel interrupted her.

"Orders?" he asked, slightly confused.

"Yes, our orders." Axel kept gazing straight at her, still confused. "Tell me, were you sleeping when the Superior gave us our orders?" Larxene asked impolitely.

"Not that I remember…"

"Ugh, you're hopeless. He gave us two orders. Test the boy and kill the girl…"

Axel looked back at the group as if deep in thought.

"The girl?" he asked. Larxene shook her head in disbelief.

"Yes the girl! Axel, if you tell me that you don't know what a girl is, so help me, I don't know what I'll do with you!"

"I know what a girl is, but it just seems so pointless."

"Pointless? Axel, I don't think you've been following…" Axel turned to face Larxene, giving her his full attention.

"I'm listening," he said. Larxene took a huge breath and began.

"That weapon she wields. It's a-"

"It's a Staffblade, I know."

"I KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS!" Larxene boomed, causing Axel to flinch. You'd think that Axel would be used to Larxene's yelling, given the fact that she does it all the time.

"Anyways," Larxene continued after calming down, "that staff holds the power to protect the girl's memories. Of course, she will forget them bit by bit, but never can they be altered."

"So we have a second Naminé on our hands?" Axel asked. Larxene chuckled at this.

"Hardly. Naminé has more power to alter memories than Akyra has ever dreamed. Her memories are protected. No more. No less."

"And how will that alter our plans?" Axel asked again. Larxene rolled her eyes in disappointment.

"Gosh, Axel, you really are a mental case aren't you? Use your logic. Sora and Akyra grew up together. He trusts her. If he realizes that he and Akyra do not have the same memories, he may get suspicious and all our plans will be ruined!"

Axel took a second to think about this and said, "Makes sense. I just don't understand why we're making such a big deal out of this."

Larxene scoffed again and gazed at Axel. She had very little patience.

"Do whatever you want, Axel. Just make sure the girl is dead!" With that, Larxene turned around and vanished into thin air.

* * *

"Hmm…" Jiminy sighed. 

"Something wrong, Jiminy?" Donald quacked.

"What Axel said has been bothering me... What could he have meant by 'you may no longer be you'?"

"Come on. How can I be anyone besides me?" Sora said.

"I know, I know," he sighed, "Still, it always pays to be careful."

"Yeah, just about anything could happen here in Castle Oblibbity...uh, Oblostemy..." Goofy started, still trying to remember the castle's name.

"Oblivion!" Donald corrected him.

"Right…erm…what you said!" he agreed.

"We'll be fine," Sora assured them, "Whatever they're cooking up, we can handle it."

"Hey, remember that other castle we explored together? With all the contraptions?" Goofy pointed out. The rest of them suddenly stopped walking and gazed at Goofy with puzzled looks.

"When was that?" Sora asked.

"Yeah! I remember!" Akyra pointed out.

"Huh?" Sora and Donald both said together. They had absolutely no clue what Goofy and Akyra were talking about.

"It had weird elevators! Gosh, what was it called?"

"Holla... Holler... I forget," Goofy said.

"Castle Hamburger!" Akyra said, taking a wild guess.

"Oh, for Pete's sake! Castle Hamburger?" Donald sighed, not wanting to believe the stupidities they were saying.

"You sure you two didn't make it up?" Sora asked.

Goofy and Akyra looked at each other, pondering the answer to that question. They both knew exactly what they were talking about. But did they really make it up?

"I don't think so…" Akyra answered.

* * *

--Me: Hah! Akyra, your journey begins now!  
Audience: O.o  
Akyra: O.o  
Everyone: O.o  
(crickets chirp)  
Me: (sigh) Sora does his journey alone in Castle Oblivion, right?  
Everyone: (silence)  
Me: And Riku does his journey alone in Castle Oblivion, right?  
Everyone: (silence)  
Me: So... Why can't Akyra do her journey alone in Castle Oblivion: )  
Everyone: Ohhhhhhh... We don't get it. O.o  
Me: (sigh) -- 


	6. Get Some Breath Mints

Akyra: Sorry about the long wait... You have no idea what we had to go through.  
Roxas: What's so bad about writing a story?  
Akyra: (sigh)  
(flashback music plays)  
Akyra: Alright, that is the las straw! KH-Akyra, you are going to write your fanficcy!  
KH-Akyra: Wait, one second! Megara needs saving!  
Akyra: You've been playing KH2 for way too long. You must finish your ficcy!  
KH-Akyra: But what about Megara?  
Akyra: -.- She can take care of herself.  
KH-Akyra: Okay, just let me drive just one last time...one last time...  
Akyra: -.-  
KH-Akyra: I am NOT moving!  
(a few minutes later)  
Akyra: (ish dragging me to the computer)  
Kh-Akyra: Just let me summon Chicken Little one last time...one last time...please? PWEASE?  
(end of flashback)  
Roxas: O.o

Disclaimer: No I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I don't own Megara or Chicken Little either. I just own an insane ficcy character who does not want me to play KH2. What? It's only been 15 straight hours... -.-

* * *

"Is that all you've got?" Riku taunted after an apparently easy battle. 

"It seems you are intent on resisting the darkness," Ansem replied, shaking his head and summoning some cards in his palm, "Very well. See with your own eyes."

"What are those?" Riku asked, practically cutting him off.

"They are cards crafted from your memory. Advance through the worlds they create, and you will come to understand... Chasing the light will not distance you from the dark. You cannot run," he answered in an intimidating tone.

"Who's running?" Riku yelled in fury. He was not about to let Ansem win. "Give me the cards. I'll enter those worlds. And in the end, if I haven't given up… I win."

Ansem smiled at this. And everyone knows that when Ansem smiles, it is not the best of signs.

"I have another gift for you," he said coolly as he tossed the cards at Riku.

If you would have been watching this, you would be the one making a bet with Akyra that Ansem had given absolutely nothing to Riku aside the cards. But even your eyes can deceive you sometimes. It may not have appeared on the outside, but Riku had felt a strange sensation. Kind of like an electric charge had passed through him. Except this was no ordinary electric charge. It was… soft. Like the blood flowing through your veins. But it seemed the sensation was over the moment it began.

"What did you do!" Riku screeched, his echo bouncing off the basement walls.

"I tempered the darkness that remains in your heart," Ansem replied with another alarming smile.

"What, you still think that I'd rely on the darkness?" he replied angrily.

"Whether or not you use it is your choice," Ansem answered as his figure began to grow paler. Soon he had completely vanished, leaving Riku alone once again.

"I'll be waiting, Riku… for you to come to your senses and yield to the darkness!"

* * *

"Alrighty, where exactly did we end up now?" Goofy asked after making sure that all his friends had made it through the door safely. The card that Sora picked from the stack Axel had given him had opened a new world of carpet merchants, scorching heat and sand…. Lots and lots of sand… 

"Ugh, it's way too hot here…" Donald grumbled, "Nothing can make this moment of sweltering heat worse…"

"Sure there is! What if we were sizzling in this heat and some random guy was being attacked by thousands of Heartless?" Akyra suggested. Sometimes, annoying Donald is the best way to get your mind off the heat.

"Oh, sure. As if THAT is ever going to happen," he answered.

"Hey, look!" Goofy yelled, "Some random guy is being attacked by thousands of Heartless!"

"You were saying, Donald?" Akyra said with a smile. Donald turned away and tried to avoid the subject.

"We'd better do something!" he said to Sora. A lame attempt to avoid the subject. But Sora had already darted off in the man's direction, leaving the rest of his friends to trudge behind him, panting from the heat.

"Looks like you could use some help!" Sora offered.

"Thanks, I thought I was done for!" the man answered. Almost as if it came to him automatically, Sora spinned around and collected the cards in which his friends transformed into so many times before.

* * *

"They just keep coming!" Sora yelled after a while. He was tired, completely out of useable cards and it would still be a long time before he can use them again. 

"Then I guess we'd better see if the legends are true," the man said. Without wasting any time, he rummaged the pocket of his peasant pants and pulled out a stout lamp made of solid gold.

"Magic lamp, my first wish! Get rid of these Heartless!" The moment he uttered the words 'my first wish', a thick blue smoke shot out from the tip of the lamp only to reveal the shape of an enormous blue genie.

"Did someone say 'wish'?" he said in a booming yet friendly voice, "Then stand back, kids, genie of the lamp coming through! There isn't nothing I can't make right as rain…well, if we HAD rain. But enough dry jokes! One Heartless disappearing act, coming right up!" It was the most amazing thing the four friends had ever seen. The moment the genie finished his speech, every single Heartless, big or small, had vanished…

"Wow, that'll sure come in handy on our journey…" Sora said and his friends nodded in agreement.

"Hey, thanks for all your help…um…" the man hesitated.

"The name's Sora."

"Right. Thanks Sora. I'm Aladdin."

"Hang on, if you had the magic lamp, why didn't you just call on it in the first place?" Donald asked.

"It's not that simple, you see…" Aladdin sighed.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Genie added in, "But I will anyway! I'm strictly limited to three wishes per master. And no wishing for more wishes!"

"So you've got two wishes left, eh? You'd better use them carefully…" Akyra warned.

"I've got to get to the palace somehow. But… with all these Heartless…"

"Hey, Sora," Goofy whispered in his ear, "We're headed that way too, so why don't we go with Aladdin?"

"Sounds like a plan. All right, Aladdin! We're coming with you," Sora said with a smile.

"That would be great! Thanks a lot, guys."

* * *

"So, uh, why are you going to the palace, Aladdin?" Goofy asked once they had walked through the main entrance of the city of Agrabah. Weird name for a city, right? 

"It's this magic lamp I found in the Cave of Wonders," Aladdin began, "I need to get it to the palace right away! I'm lucky I made it back to Agrabah in one piece! The cave was crawling with Heartless."

"Wasn't there anyone there to help you?" Sora asked in a sad tone.

"I know how you feel, Master," Genie interrupted yet again, "I've been delivering happiness for 2,000 years. And what help do I get? I keep dreamin' someone will wish me out of this gig. But go figure the odds on that."

Aladdin focused his attention on the Genie for a moment, as if deep in thought. "Well, how about I use my third wish to set you free?" he suggested.

"Doth my pointy ears deceive me? Master, you'd do that for me? You're not just pullin' my topknot now, are you?" Genie said.

Akyra, who hadn't believed at first that the Genie had been around for 2,000 years, quickly changed her mind. To speak in old English like that, you'd have to be REALLY old…

"I promise, Genie. Anyway, there's only one thing I really want," he sighed.

"Then we'll just have to DO something about that, Al! Can I call you Al? So, what'll it be? Fame? Fortune? A herd of luxury camels to call your very own?" Genie proposed, throwing a few ideas at him.

"Well, there's this girl. Her name is Jasmine. She's princess of Agrabah. And...that's the problem. It's hard for a guy like me to get a chance to see her. That's how this all started. Jafar, the royal vizier, said he would help me meet Jasmine," Aladdin said, hanging his head.

"Sounds like your wish should be that you can see Jasmine anytime you want, huh?" Sora guessed.

"Well, I've got just the package for you! You'll not only meet the lady, you'll go in style...as PRINCE ALI! How d'ya like the sound of that, Al?" Genie said, smiling grandly.

"Me, a prince! Can you really do that?" Aladdin asked excitedly.

"In an Agrabah minute!" Genie assured him.

"I guess the legends were true after all. Sora, let's hurry to the palace!" Aladdin squealed, running towards the palace.

"Wow, he's really determined," Goofy said as he tried his best to keep up with him.

* * *

They were greeted by a not-so-pleasant surprise the moment they entered the next street. It was a huge street, roughly twice the size of the Olympus Coliseum. That is, if the four friends actually remembered the size of it. On one side stood our team and far-off to the other side, a young woman was being attacked by countless Heartless. Our friends wouldn't have been able to recognize the young woman but Aladdin seemed to know her all too well. 

"It's Jasmine! She's in trouble!"

"But we'll never make it in time," Sora pointed out.

"Then I've no choice. Genie, I wish for you to save Jasmine!" Aladdin said almost instantly.

"Can do! CHARGE!" Genie roared, zooming through the air. In a blink of an eye, the Genie was on the other side of the street and back with Jasmine.

"Jasmine!" Aladdin yelled, kneeling next to the princess. She appeared to be asleep.

"We're lucky! She fainted but it looks like she's okay," Goofy assured a saddened Aladdin.

"But there's still one problem," Akyra added, "Now you've only got one wish left!"

"You spoke too soon…" Sora said, a frightened expression on his face. Tons of Heartless were crawling towards them, their bright yellow eyes filled with emptiness. Apparently, Genie had left out a couple of Heartless while he was busy wiping them out.

"Not again!" Aladdin cried, turning to face Genie sadly, "Sorry, Genie. But you're the only one who can…"

"Wait!" Sora interrupted, "This is your last wish! Don't waste it. This time, let US handle the wish-granting!"

"Ooh, I've always wanted to grant a wish!" Akyra said excitedly as a bright light began to engulf her. It was time to turn into a card again, which only meant one thing: the battle was on.

* * *

"See? We didn't need the Genie this time," Sora said happily once every last Heartless had been eliminated. 

"Thanks, Sora. So I guess I'm down to my last wish…" he said, pulling the lamp out of his pocket again.

But before he had the chance to rub his lamp and summon the Genie, a bright light flashed out of nowhere. Now this was not your ordinary flash of light. And it wasn't the light that emitted from Sora's cards when they turn back into their normal selves. This light was so blinding that if you had kept your eyes open throughout the whole thing, you might have become blind afterwards.

"Wak! What's happening?" Donald screeched.

"This is the first time we were ever afraid of light…" Akyra pointed out, shielding her eyes with her arms. Thankfully, the light didn't last too long and dimmed after a couple of seconds. But, if you knew what would happen after this light fainted, trust me, you would have liked it better when the light was blinding you.

"Oh, no! The lamp! It's gone!" Aladdin cried in disbelief.

"Hmm, it seems my plans have gone amiss. I was certain you'd waste your last wish...what with poor Jasmine in distress and the Heartless to deal with," said a man with a raspy, rickety voice. You would have never seen him on a singing competition, trust me. The five of them spinned around to face a man dressed in a black robe with red patterns who was also holding a staff shaped like a golden snake. His skin was wrinkled with age… he was practically ancient!

"But no matter… At last the lamp is mine to command!" He held the magic lamp that contained the genie high in triumph and cackled. So it was he who summoned that bright light!

"Why are you doing this, Jafar? I brought the lamp, just as you asked!" Aladdin yelled in fury.

"Don't think you can fool me boy! You were going to use the lamp to win Jasmine! But we can't have that, now can we? You see, I am the one Jasmine will marry!" he boomed in his raspy voice.

"You?" Sora yelled in shock.

"Ewww…" Akyra said under her breath. She sure felt sorry for Jasmine now!

"If I marry Princess Jasmine," Jafar continued, "nothing can stop me from becoming king of Agrabah! You're nothing more than a pawn in my game, street rat! Genie! My first wish! Deliver Jasmine to me!"

"Genie, what are you doing?" Aladdin yelled, trying his best to stop Genie from taking Jasmine from him. Genie merely looked at him with a saddened expression on his face.

"Sorry, Al. My hands are tied on this one. I gotta obey whoever has his mitts on the lamp."

"Precisely," Jafar said proudly, smiling and bearing his disgusting, unbrushed teeth, "Farewell, Aladdin…you fool!"

He guffawed like a hyena as he turned around and walked away, Jasmine in his arms and a depressed Genie following his every step. Before he had the chance to vanish beyond another corridor, Akyra bolted towards him and skidded to a halt, making sure she was still a fair distance away from him.

"For the sake of us all, Jafar, get yourself some breath mints!" she screeched.

Jafar looked back at her and gritted his teeth in anger before disappearing through the dark corridor. She and Sora had a good laugh out of this but Akyra's brief joke was not enough to make Aladdin crack a smile. He was kneeling on the sandy street, his head hanging in sadness.

"Great…" he muttered, "Now I've lost Jasmine AND the lamp…" The four of them looked down on their newfound friend, unable to figure out a way to cheer him up or at least lift his spirits. That is, until Sora spoke up.

"Well, you can feel bad about it some other time. If you don't pull yourself together, you'll never see Jasmine again! You lost the lamp. So what? You can still save her on your own. Losing someone you care about is bad, but not as bad as never getting them back!"

Akyra, Donald and Goofy looked up at Sora and couldn't help but smile as he said this. They were proud of him.

"Sora... You're right. I can't give up now! I'm going to save Jasmine!" Aladdin said, picking himself up and looking up to the sky.

"But Jafar's got the lamp," Donald added, "We can't just walk up to him and expect to win..."

"And maybe we can!" Aladdin said after a quick ponder, "I've got an idea. Listen up!"

Without wasting any time, the five of them huddled together to listen to Aladdin's plan…

* * *

Akyra: Peace ish restored!  
Roxas: You'll just end up dragging her back to the computer tomorrow...  
Akyra: O.o Oh darn, I guess you're right.  
KH-Akyra: (from the other room) GET ME INTO VALOR FORM! HEY, QUIT SNAPPING YOU CRAZY HYDRA! That's better... HEY! DEMYX ,YOU CHEATED! GET BACK HERE! GET BACK HERE I SAY! Ooh, Akyra will fit right here! (grabs fanficcy notebook)  
Roxas: O.o  
Akyra: We're all doomed... -.-


	7. An Empty Journal and a Strange Image

Akyra: Alright, KH-Akyra! Time to... huh?  
Living room: (completely empty)  
PS2: (shut)  
KH2 disc: (in its pocket)  
Roxas: Whoa... Somebody must have kidnapped her!  
Akyra: Of course! That's the only way she'll part from her KH2! (runs into computer room)  
KH-Akyra: (ish typing)  
Roxas: Why aren't you playing KH2?  
KH-Akyra: I WAS playing it. That is, until I reached Timeless River. The music's annoying there and Sora is way too noodlie.  
Akyra/Roxas: O.o

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Or Timeless River. I only own this toothbrush that I will offer to Jafar... I don't own Jafar. O.o

* * *

"Don't I even get a hello, Lexaeus?" 

The man in a familiar black robe turned and growled at the sound of his name. Unlike the other characters we've come to meet, Lexaeus had quite a dark complexion to him. His brown hair had quite a confusing flair to it; it was spiky and flowing at the exact same time. Also, because of his size, not too many people would prefer to get him angry. He could have probably crushed a truck had there been one at the time. Though, these days, he wasn't as "friendly" as he usually was. This was probably due to the fact that he was forced to take orders from a person much younger than him, the warden of the castle…

"Vexen…" Lexaeus growled, a smile forming on his face as another man robed in black with long, blonde hair appeared before him. Unlike Lexaeus, Vexen tends to have his own ideas and judgements on things. He was an impulsive scientist and loved to experiment with things.

"What's going on, Zexion? I demand an explanation," Vexen said rather loudly. A third robed man stepped into the light, his short, spiky hair glowing a blue shade from the light. Zexion was the most mysterious of them all. He keeps quiet most of the time and tends to keep his ideas for himself.

"Nice to see you too, Vexen," Zexion said rather sarcastically, "You know, it's deplorable... The Organization used to be the rope that binds us. And now it's full of kinks."

"How dare you!" Vexen interrupted.

"Let it go, Vexen," Lexaeus sighed, "Zexion, tell us. What did you detect?"

"Visitors. I picked up two scents in the castle's lowest basement. One of them was Maleficent, but-"

"Absurd!" Vexen interrupted yet again, "The witch is gone. She cannot return from the realm of darkness of her own volition."

"If you'd let me finish..." Zexion said, glaring at Vexen, "The scent belonged to a very convincing double. But I can't say much beyond that, since the would-be Maleficent is no more. Our other visitor saw to that."

"Who is it?" Lexaeus asked.

"I don't know…" Zexion confessed, "But the scent was very similar to the Superior's. Exactly similar, if I may say."

"Rubbish!" Vexen screeched.

"Fact, Vexen. Now, what shall we do?"

"Let us bide our time and see what develops…" Lexaeus finished, turning away from them to watch a simulation of Riku running down another corridor…

* * *

Sora, Donald, Goofy and Akyra followed Jafar through the corridor to the front of the palace's gates. 

"Come on! Stand up and fight, you coward!" Akyra threatened, readying her staff. Jafar turned to face them, smiling evilly and bearing his yellow, unbrushed, plaque filled…alright you get the picture. He had also noticed that Aladdin was missing. The plan our adventurers had cooked up was coming along well.

"What's this? Has Aladdin given up on his precious Jasmine already? Well, I'm not going to waste a wish on the likes of you four. I'll deal with you myself!"

"Aladdin! Now!" Sora called. Appearing out of nowhere, Aladdin jumped a couple of stone steps and charged at Jafar, sword at hand.

"What? You! Genie, seize him!" Jafar ordered.

"Al, buddy! Forgive me!" Genie yelled. He covered his eyes with his giant, blue arm and smacked Aladdin away from Jafar, whimpering in the process.

"Oof… You fell for it, Jafar!" Aladdin shouted in triumph.

"What do you mean?" Jafar asked wickedly, staring wide-eyed at him.

"He means that you just blew your second wish! Only one left!" Sora explained with a smile.

"Go ahead, use it to win Jasmine's heart. You'll still have us to deal with!" Aladdin finished.

"Oh, NOW I get it. Al, you are so clever!" Genie cheered. But Jafar was far from cheery. He approached Aladdin, every step he took making him angrier and angrier.

"Well, well. The cunning of a rat. But, unfortunately, you can't see beyond the cheese. Your little ploy changes nothing! I can crush you once and for all AND make Jasmine my own! Genie! My last wish! Transform me into an all-powerful genie!"

All of a sudden, the palace around them seemed to melt away into a pit of boiling lava, courtesy of Jafar-Genie.

"Come on, guys! We're needed!" Akyra shouted over the noise, grabbing Donald's feathery hand and following Goofy, who was making his way towards Sora. It wouldn't have mattered if they managed to reach him or not because once they turn into cards, they automatically appear in Sora's deck, signalling the beginning of a new battle.

* * *

"Well, I guess that takes care of that!" Donald said, dusting his feathers. 

"Yep!" Sora agreed, "Jasmine's saved and we got the lamp back, too! Hey, Aladdin, don't you still have one wish left?"

"He sure does," Genie said, zooming towards the group, "Time for me to make a prince outta this guy! 'Course, I'd like to be free. But like they always say, genies can't be choosers. You're probably miffed about that whole puppet-of-Jafar thing, anyway. Go on, Al. Wish for what's really in your heart. Be a prince. Get the girl."

At first, no one could really tell what Aladdin was thinking. His expression was so blank, so empty that you could easily confuse him for a Nobody. That is, if our team actually knew what Nobodies were. Finally, he picked up the lamp and pointed it to the Genie.

"Genie," he said, "I wish for your freedom!"

"But Al…!" Genie said, surprised by his decision.

"Now no one like Jafar can use you for evil again. Genie, you're free!" The smoke that connected Genie to the lamp instantly disappeared as the gold cuffs around his wrists broke apart. The lamp also appeared to lose its shine.

"Al, I'll never forget this. But what about Jasmine? What are you going to do?"

"I was wrong, Genie," Aladdin confessed, "If I used your help to win Jasmine...I'd be no better than Jafar. Jasmine means the world to me. I want to show her the real me."

"That's the spirit!" Sora said.

"Thanks, Sora," Aladdin said, turning around to face the four of them, "And good luck!"

"What for?" Akyra asked.

"I was ready to give up back there, but then Sora said some things to keep me going. That's when it hit me. You must be looking for someone you care about, too."

"Yeah…" Sora sighed, his mind filling with old thoughts.

"Listen, Genie…" Aladdin started but was interrupted by Genie.

"Say no more, little pal! I know JUST what you're thinking. Here you go, Sora!" He drew a card from the left over smoke spewing out of his lamp and handed it to Sora. It had a picture of the Genie on it.

"Whenever you need me, just call. That okay with you, Al?"

"Of course it is!" Aladdin said.

"Are you sure?" Sora asked, his eyes fixed on his new battle card.

"Anytime at all. Hey, without you guys, I might never have been able to ditch that lamp! And I think Aladdin will be fine on his own now." Genie said, ruffling Aladdin's hair.

"Wow, thanks a lot!" Sora said happily, taking another look at his card.

"Let's hope both our wishes come true, then. Take care, Sora!" After having said their goodbyes, the four of them headed towards the door they came in from, Sora's new card shining like a diamond in the midday sun…

* * *

It was time to hunt around for the next set of staircases once the team made it out of the door to Agrabah. But something was troubling Goofy. 

"What is it, Goofy?" Donald asked in concern.

"It's that castle Akyra and I mentioned earlier. I'm sure we didn't make it up. If we did, then we wouldn't have been talking about the same thing. Anyways, that was the castle where Sora used the Keyblade to free Kairi's heart. Then he disappeared for a while, remember? I'll never forget how worried I was," he confessed.

"Oh yeah! When I turned into a Heartless! Wait… That happened in… a castle?" Sora asked, confused.

"You forgot? Well, I remember it perfectly!" Donald said. He was obviously lying.

"You do?" Akyra asked, "Well then, you'll agree with me that the castle was called Castle Hamburger, right?"

"No, that's a crazy name for a castle…" Donald answered.

"Okay, then what was it REALLY called?" she asked with a devious smile.

"Easy! It was… Hey, Jiminy. You wrote down everything that happened in your journal, right?" Donald asked as he poked the top of his hat. Jiminy, who had been hiding up there, sprung up when he heard his name.

"Every letter! I finished off the first volume right before we got to this castle. Let's see if I can find the old book..." he said as he searched for it. Luckily, he remembered perfectly where he had left it. But, if he had it or lost it, it wouldn't have made any difference…

"Ah, here it is! Let's have a look... Th-This isn't possible!" Jiminy gasped, "All the entries have vanished! Every page, blank!"

"What?" Donald quacked, snatching the book from his head and flipping the pages as the three of them closed in on him to get a better look. Jiminy was right. Every page was as empty as Leon's usual facial expressions and every page as white as snow.

"How could this happen!" Jiminy moaned, "I take such good care of all my journals! All that hard work… gone…"

"What kind of castle is this?" Sora asked as he gazed around the pearly white hallway.

None of them had the slightest idea about what had happened to Jiminy's journal. Could it be the work of Heartless? No, they wiped out every one that came close to them. So then what could explain this strange incident? Akyra thought of this as she followed the rest of them in silence down the hallway. Every time they seemed to grasp an answer for a question of theirs, it either ends up being inaccurate or slips from their fingers before they get a chance to catch it. For example, you try to explain the picture of a blonde-haired girl drawing in her notebook that suddenly appeared in Akyra's mind. Hang on…

"Huh?" Akyra said, whirling around. There was nobody behind her. Not a soul was around except for Sora, Donald and Goofy walking up front. But, she was so sure that she had seen that girl! She was drawing something in her notebook!

"Akyra, are you coming?" Sora called.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm coming…" Taking one last look behind her, she began running towards Sora, her mind filled with questions…

* * *

"Something funny's going on... How could everything Jiminy wrote vanish like that?" Donald wondered aloud. 

"Maybe it's not just stuff we write down," Sora explained, "Akyra and Goofy said we've been to some other castle. But I don't remember it at all. None of us really do. Maybe...Maybe we don't remember because those memories are gone."

"Gone…?" Akyra sighed.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Donald retorted.

"Wait! Remember what that guy in the black hood said? "In this place, to find is to lose and to lose is to find." He was talking about memories!" Jiminy said.

"So if we keep going, we'll lose our memories... No wonder they call it Castle Oblivion." Sora said, casually placing his hands behind his head.

"So...the higher we go, the more we forget?" Donald asked in a shaky tone, "What if we forget everything and can't get it back?"

"I'd forget Riku and Kairi too…" Sora sighed.

"Maybe we should turn back," Donald suggested.

"Hey, you guys are missing the point!" Akyra intervened, "He said "In this place, to find is to lose and to lose is to find". We'll lose our memories but… we'll find something else once we lose them…"

"We'll find something else?" Sora asked himself, deep in thought.

"Even if we do find something, we would have still lost our memories," Donald said.

"Don't worry! We might forget where we've been or what we saw, but we won't forget our friends!" Goofy assure them.

"What makes you so sure?" Donald asked.

"Sora, when you turned into a Heartless, did you forget about us?"

"Of course not!" Sora yelled almost instantly, "I'd never forget you guys."

"Well, see, there ya go! No matter what happens, you won't forget your friends," Goofy concluded with a huge smile.

"Yeah... You're right. Thanks, Goofy."

"I guess there's nothing to be scared of after all. So let's go!" Donald said with a smile. No sooner had they taken a few steps when Akyra spoke up:

"Say, Donald… Back when Sora was a Heartless, who was the one who tried to clobber him?"

"I had good reason!" Donald retorted, "YOU wanted to keep a Heartless as a pet!"

"If I hadn't wanted to keep it as a pet, you would have sliced him to smithereens," Akyra answered back with a huge grin.

"THAT's what you should be forgetting!"

Sora, Akyra and Goofy erupted in a frenzy of laughs and sniggers as Donald, grumbling, picked a card from Sora's deck and placed it above his head, impatiently waiting to enter the new world…

* * *

KH-Akyra: I shall start the Coliseum chappie right now! XD  
Akyra: This is great! She'll keep writing chappies!  
Roxas: But she'll stop playing KH2.  
Akyra: So?  
Roxas: Remember how she gets spastic by lack of information?  
Akyra: O.o KH-Akyra... You must play KH2 now...  
KH-Akyra: No way! I'm typing!  
Akyra: (drags me to living room)  
KH-Akyra: This is insane! First you want me to type then you want me to play! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? LEMME GO! LEMME GO! 


	8. Road to a Hero

Akyra: Peace ish restored again. She's back to playing KH2.  
Roxas: How can you be so sure? She's locked up in the living room. You never know, she could be... watching TV... O.o  
Akyra: Trust me, I know.  
KH-Akyra: (from living room) DARN PIRATES! That's MY medallion! MINE, I TELL YOU! Get me Wisdom Form!(silence) O.o Oh...my...gosh... I asked for Wisdom Form and you give me ANTI FORM? EMPTY, YOU DRIVE GAUGE, EMPTY!  
Akyra: XD  
Roxas: Oh... Now I get it... :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Or COM. Or Anti Form. But that is a pretty cool form... :P

* * *

"Something...tastes kind of funny... What is it? It's so familiar..." Riku said as he tried to distinguish the weird sensation in his mouth, "Darkness. The taste of darkness. What's happened to me... The darkness even seeps into my senses." 

"Don't you worry, Riku!"

Now, Riku knew he was going insane. He could have sworn he heard King Mickey's voice. And now, he's imagining a fuzzy picture of the King in front of him. Riku stopped for a moment and thought. Was he really going insane or is the King really standing in front of him?

"Your Majesty!" he cried, his heart suddenly filled with happiness, "What happened to you? You're all…fuzzy…"

"I can only send a little bit of my power here," Mickey explained, "But I have a request."

"A request?" Riku asked in delight, "From Your Majesty?" He was probably the first person in history who jumped at the chance of filling a request for someone.

"Riku, don't let go of yourself just because darkness has a hold on you. Fight the darkness inside you! It won't be easy... But don't forget! Even in the darkest darkness, there's always a little light."

"Light…within darkness?"

"Yes!" Mickey continued, "You and I have seen it! The far-off, welcoming light inside the door to darkness… The light of Kingdom Hearts, Riku…it'll show you the way. Please don't give up. Believe in the light. That's all I ask."

"Okay… I'll try my best," Riku answered in confidence.

"And I'll try to find a way to reach you. I'll come, I promise."

The King reached his hand out to Riku, asking him to shake hands. Riku jumped at the offer but was greatly surprised when his hand passed right through the King's, as if he were a ghost.

"You're...an illusion? My hand passes right through you!"

"But we shook hands, in our hearts. We're connected, you and me," Mickey said with a smile.

"Yeah…I guess so," Riku sighed, watching the King's fuzzy form fade away into nothingness.

In fact, Riku hated being alone in that castle and hoped that the King would have stayed with him. But he had a mission to attend to. He wasn't about to fail Mickey. Not now, not ever…

* * *

"Wow, this place looks like a huge… Coliseum!" Akyra sighed in awe, admiring her surroundings. 

"Maybe it IS a Coliseum, Akyra," Sora replied as they made their way to Donald, who was reading a flyer posted on the wall.

"It's an announcement!" Donald declared once the two teens had reached him.

"Well, I'll be. It's for some sort of contest. They're calling it the "Olympus Coliseum Survival Cup." Contenders have to run an obstacle course, battling each other along the way. And listen to this: "The great hero Hercules will also compete for the Cup." It says here he's never been beaten," Jiminy said in amazement.

"Sounds like fun. Why don't we enter too?" Sora suggested.

"I thought you'd say that. Whenever there's a contest, you're raring to join up," Goofy said.

"Yep, that's our Sora!" Akyra piped, messing up his spiky hair.

"You're going to compete even if we don't, right?" Donald asked. He already knew the answer to that question anyways.

"Uh-huh."

"Guess we'd better tag along then…" Donald sighed in a defeated tone.

"Hold it, everyone. There's more... "Only contenders who finish the preliminary course may enter the main competition." It says the preliminary course is just ahead," Jiminy said, pointing towards an unmistakable obstacle course.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Sora cheered as the four of them scampered off in the preliminary course's direction.

If they hadn't been so excited about the games, they would have probably spotted a dark figure standing only a few feet away from them. He approached the sign the four of them had been reading, his hair flaming with a blue hue. Wonder how he washes his hair, given that it's fire…

"Whoa-whoa-whoa, wait just a MINUTE!" Hades yelled after reading a certain passage on the flyer, his hair and skin glowing red, "What is THIS? "Hercules is a model of true strength and gallantry - the perfect hero"! Oh, he's perfect, all right. PERFECTLY INFURIATING! I'd like to send him to the Underworld...permanently!"

"Which is why you hired me…" Without turning around, Hades calmed down when he heard this person's voice.

"That's right. You're my man…" Hades said rather comfortably, "Your job is to beat Hercules in the games. And once you've got him cornered...finish the job. Do that for me, and-"

"You restore my lost memories. As we agreed."

"You have my word," Hades finished with a sinister smile.

* * *

"They've really got to make these prelims harder… I almost got bored with them," Akyra said once they finished the course, stretching her arms. 

"Gawrsh, I'll admit, they weren't as hard as I thought they'd be…" Goofy replied.

"Say, maybe we stand a chance against Hercules!" Sora said with confidence. In their tiny moment of glory, none of them noticed a short satyr with stubby legs walk up to them, a confused expression on his face.

"Where did you come from? Don't tell me you guys finished the prelims!" the satyr said, shaking his head.

"We sure did! And now, we want to go for the Cup!" Sora declared.

"Oh my gosh, a satyr!" Akyra squealed as she jumped up and down a couple of times. When she was a lot younger, one of her wildest dreams was to see a satyr.

"Whoa, calm down, lassie," the satyr said, waving his arms in the air. Akyra quickly piped down. She wasn't too fond of people who called her 'lassie'. "You want to go for the Cup? Well, you came to the right place. Not that you stand a chance against Herc…"

"Why not?" Donald quacked in fury.

"Two words! You-ain't-heroes!"

"You're wrong!" Sora yelled angrily.

"Yeah, he said three words," Goofy said, counting the words the satyr stated with his fingers.

"Well, 'ain't' doesn't really qualify as a correct word…" Akyra pointed out.

"It doesn't?" Goofy asked in awe. Akyra shook her head. "Gawrsh…"

"That's not what I mean," Sora intervened, "How can we prove we're heroes unless you give us a chance?"

"He's right, Phil. They cleared the prelims. I think they deserve a shot," said a voice from behind the satyr. Without them noticing, a man with light hair had approached Phil from behind. The team unmistakably guessed that this must be Hercules.

"Hmm… You got a point there, Herc. But still…" Phil said, apparently still doubting the strength of the team.

"Of course, we could always cancel the games…" Hercules suggested.

He wasn't serious, of course. But he said it in such a convincing way that everyone couldn't help but believe him. Why, he even fooled Akyra, the queen of sarcasm.

"Cancel the games?" Sora screeched, "But why?"

"Old Phil's prelim course was so hard, no one else could finish it," Hercules explained. Goofy and Akyra had a good chuckle out of this. The preliminary course was so easy for them that it almost put them to sleep.

"Is that right? Then it's settled! Let us compete, and you won't have to cancel the games! How about it, Phil?" Sora pleaded.

"Okay, you got me over a barrel, so fine. Here's how it works, kid-"

"It's Sora – not 'kid'" he corrected him.

"All right, all right… Sora, since your team and Hercules are the only contenders–"

"They're not," another voice rudely interrupted. A man, face half covered by a purple scarf, stepped into the light. His burnt, violet cape fluttered in the breeze and his hair was strikingly familiar to Sora's. "The games have a new challenger," he said, "Name's Cloud."

"The more the merrier! Now the games will really be something to see!" Phil said happily, but his happy tone just wasn't enough to convince them. He didn't care too much about who entered anymore.

"Before you kids can start (Sora rolled his eyes when Phil called them 'kids'), I gotta explain the rules:

Rule#1! First one through the obstacle course wins!

Rule#2! In the event of a tie, a battle will determine the winner!

Rule#3! You can interfere with your opponents on the course!

And finally… Rule #4! All challengers have to give it everything they've got!"

The six challengers formed a straight line one next to the other, readying themselves to run off the moment they hear the signal.

"All right, enough with the spiel. On your marks... Get set... GO!" The six of them darted off at lightning speed, determined to get to the finish line first.

* * *

"This is a cheap trick! They fool us at the prelims but the race itself is impossible!" Akyra yelled, kicking a boulder that was conveniently placed right next to her. 

They had been running the whole time, fighting off obstacles and giving it everything they had. They were way too tired to continue but Cloud and Hercules still managed to take a good lead on them.

"Let's not give up, guys. We may still be able to win," Sora said, attempting to lift their spirits.

"But Cloud's got a huge lead on us! How do you think we'll manage to catch up to him?" Donald asked.

"We already did! Look!" Akyra said happily, pointing to a figure in the distance.

"Gawrsh, that was nice of him to wait for us to catch up!" Goofy said.

"He's not waiting! Remember Rule #3? "You can interfere with your opponents on the course"!" Donald jeered.

"He's looking to narrow the field!" Sora huffed as he ran towards Cloud, his friends close behind him. They drew their weapons as Sora drew his Keyblade and prepared themselves for battle. But Cloud wasn't looking for a battle.

"You can put that away," he said, "I'm not looking for a fight with you, so keep walking…"

"See? He was waitin' for us to catch up," Goofy whispered to Donald.

"Well, we've caught up. Let's take him up on his offer and keep going!" Donald grumbled.

"I don't see a down side," Sora said after a quick ponder. But, they hadn't taken three steps when Sora turned around to speak with Cloud again.

"Listen, are you sure?" he asked. He must have sensed that something was not right here.

"I'm not here for the Cup. Just Hercules. Today he loses more than the competition…" Cloud admitted.

"You don't mean... But why! What did he do to you?" Sora asked furiously.

"This is business. Stay out of it. Go win your Cup."

They didn't need to hear anymore to help them decide on what to do next. Sora summoned his weapon once again as the rest of them stuck close behind them, waiting to turn into cards.

"Do you realize what you're doing?" Cloud said in a threatening tone, gripping his long sword tightly.

"Rule #3! You can interfere with your opponents. Right? You're not the only one who wants to fight Hercules!" Sora said.

"Big mistake."

* * *

"Phew, that was a long battle," Donald sighed after Cloud had been defeated. 

"Yeah, but I see that he's managed to escape. Where did he go?" Akyra asked as she looked around the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

"He's headed for the finish line! We'd better go catch him!" Jiminy said, poking his head out of the comfort of Goofy's hat.

They didn't need to be told twice. The four of them sprinted forward, hoping to catch up to Cloud before he had the chance to reach the finish line.

* * *

Upon entering the final set of the obstacle course, the four friends were relieved to find out that they had caught up with him before he reached the finish line. The only problem was that Cloud was kneeling on the floor in pain, Hercules panting and in a fighting stance a few feet away. 

"You lost! Give it up, Cloud!" he cried.

"We're not done yet," Cloud said evilly, picking himself up.

"I can't guarantee your safety if we keep going like this!" Hercules warned.

"Better worry about yourself. Looks to me like you're slowing down a bit."

Sora didn't wait any longer. Somebody had to stop this battle; it might as well be them. The team darted to the centre of the field and took their place behind Hercules.

"Don't worry! We'll back you up!" Sora told him.

"Get all the backup you want," Cloud threatened, "I'm going to finish you and get back my memories!"

The four friends stared at him in shock as he uttered those words.

"Did he say what I think he said?" Goofy whispered.

"Your memories?" Sora asked in awe.

"Now, now, Cloud, we don't want to spill the beans…" said the voice of a figure hiding in the shadows behind Cloud. He stepped beside Cloud, his blue hair flaming more than usual.

"Hades! You!" Hercules growled, apparently understanding the cause of this mess.

"Looks like you oversold yourself, Cloud. All you did was wear him down. This doesn't look good for your performance rating... Let me put it this way: You, my spiky-haired friend, are fired!" he screeched at Cloud.

"But…my memories," he pleaded, "We had a deal!"

"Did you really think you could get back your lost memories just like that? Get a grip!" Hades said rather coolly.

"Why…you!" Cloud growled.

"I said, you're through! This time I'll take care of Herc myself!"

As he said this, his eyes glowed an uncanny shade of violet as he summoned a blockade of dark energy. This threw everyone off their feet except for Hercules, who was just blown back.

"Hey!" Sora yelled furiously.

"Rule #5! It's never too late to enter the games!" Hades roared with an evil smile.

"Hades, you were behind this from the start!" Hercules indicted.

"Cloud may have failed to take you out, but he did break you down. Time for Plan B. Pack your pita, Herc, 'cause you've just won a free trip to the Underworld — paid by me!"

"Hold it, hothead!" Sora called. Hades turned to face Sora, who was making his way towards Hercules, friends by his side and weapon in hand.

"Sora, no!" Hercules warned.

"Come on, Herc – how can we go one-on-one if you're in the Underworld?"

"Good point, kid," Hades said, "I guess you'll just have to go with him! Rule #6! There are no rules!"

"_There are no rules, eh?_" Akyra thought to herself. She lifted her staff and pointed it directly in front of her, aiming for Hades' head. Without uttering a word, two large snowflakes shot out of her staff and hit Hades squarely in the head, putting out his hair.

"Hey! You'll pay for that, prissy!" he shrieked, slowly pacing towards her, an unusual light forming behind her.

"Rule #6," she repeated, "There are no rules!"

Just as Hades was about to take a swing at her, his hand passed right through, and a tiny card shot out of the ground and floated towards Sora.

"You're going down, Hades!" he shouted, grabbing the cards that were floating around him…

* * *

"What? The games are cancelled? How come?" Sora asked. 

"Three words! Everyone's pooped!" Phil said.

"Hang on… That was only two…" Goofy remarked.

"You gotta be kidding! What about my match with Hercules?" Sora protested.

"I'm sorry, Sora. But you wouldn't want me to compete in this condition. Let's have a match when I'm fit again. Can you wait?" Hercules suggested.

"Okay, I'll hold you to that…" Sora agreed.

"Then it's settled!" Hercules said joyfully.

"Sora, over here! He's coming around," Jiminy called. He had been keeping an eye on Cloud, in case anything was wrong.

"You okay?" Sora asked, offering Cloud a helping hand. But he ignored it and picked himself up without his help.

"Yeah. Sorry I messed up your games," he said quietly as he began to walk away.

"Hey! Hope you get your memories back! Forget about what Hades said. Sometimes the tiniest thing can make you remember stuff you forgot years ago. If it's an important memory, there's no way it could ever be gone forever. That's what I think, anyway."

Why is it that every time they came across someone looking for something, Sora would deliver a speech that even the wisest sage couldn't come up with? Nevertheless, his three friends were still proud of him. Cloud turned to face Sora after his speech and handed Sora a battle card.

"That's for you," he said, "For helping me out…"

"Sure you don't want to just come with us instead?" Sora offered.

Without turning around, Cloud turned his head sideways and flicked his spiky, blonde hair.

"Sorry. Not interested…"

* * *

KH-Akyra: From now on, the worlds shall take one chapter each. I don't really like writing them...  
Akyra: Why not?  
Audience: She's too lazy...  
KH-Akyra: WHAT? That's only half of it!  
Roxas: O.o  
KH-Akyra: Plus, the story of COM takes place on the floors of Castle Oblivion, not in the worlds. :D  
Audience: We're surprised, KH-Akyra. That's the best excuse you've evr given us!  
KH-Akyra: -.- It's not an excuse.  
Audience: SURE it isn't... 


	9. Could It Be Betrayal?

KHA: (gasp) (biggest gasp of mankind)  
Akyra: Wow, that sounded like the biggest gasp of mankind!  
Roxas: That was surprisingly accurate... O.o  
KHA: I have come up... with a HUGE idea for my KH2 ficceh! (huge smile)  
Akyra: (gasp) This is horrible...  
Roxas: Why's it horrible?  
Akyra: When she's happy with her ideas, it can only mean that I'll somehow get tortured...  
KHA: (writes in ficcy notebook)  
Akyra: Curse you, ficcy notebook!

Disclaimer: I don't own KH or COM. I only own my ficcy ideas and a ficcy character to torture her with. :)

* * *

"I hope the king is okay…" Donald muttered, breaking the stiff silence between them. For some reason, whenever they walked the corridors of Castle Oblivion, they walked them in silence. Maybe they were all just too lost in their thoughts to bring up a topic for a conversation. 

"Why bring that up all of a sudden?" Sora asked, casually placing both his hands behind his head. This was his trademark. Nobody had a peculiar habit like that except him.

"I just wanted to make sure I haven't forgotten about him," Donald continued.

"And?" Akyra asked, hinting Donald to continue his speech.

"I still remember perfectly! Goofy and I are on a quest to find him!"

"Yep!" Goofy added, "The king helped save the world by staying on the other side of the door to darkness."

"And If Goofy still remembers, then I won't forget anytime soon," Donald bragged.

"And Akyra and I… we're looking for Riku. He was with the king when the door closed," Sora said with confidence, "That was easy. I guess we really can't forget the most important memories."

"I hope not…" Akyra muttered sadly as she followed the rest of her friends through the pearly white room and on to the staircases…

* * *

Axel strolled around the darkened room, hood off and his eyes fixed on a glowing orb at the centre of the table, the only source of light in that shady room. If you had the chance to see this orb, it would have brought back some hateful memories. The malicious witch Maleficent had once used an orb exact to this one to follow Sora through his journey to other worlds. And now Axel was making use of it, his interest transfixed on the movement of four familiar figures through the castle. Another woman was in the room with him; blonde-haired and sporting a robe exact to Axel's. Larxene, the lethargic marvel of the Organization. Nobody else had the skill to beat her record time at being bored of something. 

"Wow, Axel, I can't believe how intrigued you are by that Sora kid," she said.

"And you're not?" Axel asked, turning to face her.

"I haven't made up my mind...but I'd like to know what's on yours."

"He became a Heartless, Larxene – and you know what happens to people who do…" Axel explained.

"People who lose their hearts also lose their minds, their feelings... They're consumed by the darkness," Larxene said, looking away as if she wasn't interested.

"Right. But that didn't happen to Sora. He held on to his feelings, even as a Heartless. Only one other man ever managed to do that."

"So it's the strength of his heart that intrigues you…the heart chosen by the Keyblade," she said.

"What makes his heart shine like that? What sleeps in his most secret depths?" he wondered out loud.

"The heart is a mysterious thing, Axel."

"Maybe so. But unlocking its secrets is the whole reason we, the Organization, exist…" Axel said, still gazing at the orb. But something had caught his attention. While Sora, Donald and Goofy pressed on, Akyra had stopped walking. She examined her surroundings, her star-shaped necklace clutched in her right hand and an expression of utter confusion painted across her face.

"Well, I'm off…" Larxene said with a yawn.

"Hold it!" Axel stopped her, tearing his gaze off Akyra, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Like what?" she asked casually.

"Don't you have something to tell me? About the Superior's orders, perhaps?" Axel hinted. Larxene shrugged her shoulders and was prepared to leave again until Axel revealed her secret.

"He didn't order you to kill the girl, did he? Nor did he order you to test the boy," he said, waiting to see Larxene's shocked expression.

"Oh, Axel, you saw right through us!" Larxene said in a very sarcastic tone, "Tell us, what will you do now?"

Axel rolled his eyes. He had no time for her childish games.

"I know about your plan. You and Marluxia are planning to use Sora as a puppet to overthrow the Organization, aren't you? And the girl's the only one who can stop this?" Axel said, grinding his teeth. Larxene took a few steps towards him and hesitated before answering.

"I had to figure out if you were on our side or not…" she said.

Axel stared at her for a long time with a blank expression. The frustrating part aboutOraganization membersis that you can never tell what they're thinking. They're so blank and empty that you can never be sure which side they're on. Unless they crack a smile, like Axel had just done. "Why not? It sounds like an interesting idea…"

* * *

"So except for our friends, we're forgetting everything bit by bit..." Donald said, bringing the once dead conversation back up for discussion. 

"Hmm... I wonder what we just forgot," Goofy asked in awe, staring at the ceiling.

The four of them stopped and thought for a moment, hesitating their answers to that question. If they remember what they just forgot, technically they didn't forget it. Or if they remember something they just forgot, they just forgot something by just remembering. What did they just forget? Or remember? Or forget to remember?

"I can't think of anything. Guess I musta forgot it..." Goofy chuckled, "But whatever it was, it must not have been that important, a-hyuck!"

"Right, or else you wouldn't have forgot it!" Sora said happily, rummaging for something in his pocket.

His cheerful expression kind of scared Donald and Akyra. He didn't seem too cheerful these past few days. And it had something to do with this castle, they were sure of it. Finally, Sora pulled a glossy, yellow, star-shaped charm out of his pocket and raised it up high, so it shined as the light of the hallway hit its smooth surface.

"I remember that!" Akyra piped up, "That's Kairi's charm! The one she always used to carry around with her."

"That's right, Akyra. It's special to her and I promised I'd return it," Sora explained, "If I hang on to this, I will never, ever, forget Kairi…"

"It's things like that that make you wonder what Kairi's doing right now…" Akyra said in a drifty, dreamy voice as Sora put the charm away.

The both of them stared into space, thinking of their close friend. Sora remembered her cheerfulness, her dainty disposition, her ability to bring happiness everywhere she goes and her short, blonde hair… Hang on, something isn't right here. Since when did Kairi have blonde hair?

"What!" Sora gasped, knocking Akyra out of her dream-like state as well. He rubbed his head hard, thinking about the image he had just seen.

"Say, Sora?" Akyra asked.

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"What color hair does Kairi have?" Sora gazed wide-eyed at her. Could it be that they were slowly forgetting their best friends? Nah, it couldn't be. You can never forget what's most important to you. It was probably their lack of sleep that was causing all this.

"Hello? You still with us?" Donald asked them, snapping his two feathered fingers quickly.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Never mind," Sora answered.

"Well, let's keep going…" Goofy suggested. Sora and Akyra quickly smiled and nodded in agreement as they continued their journey through the castle.

They stayed silent the rest of the time, but Akyra's head was swimming with thoughts. How could she have forgotten Kairi's hair color? They had been the best of friends for years, sharing their deepest, darkest secrets, spending all their time with each other when the boys were in their 'girls are icky' stage and giggling over random things that made no sense… After all their unforgettable memories together, how could she have forgotten these kind of things? Perhaps…. Could it be that Akyra wasn't a true friend? Could it be that all those times they spent together meant nothing at all? Could it be that… that Akyra had betrayed her? Maybe Akyra wasn't as loyal as she thought she was…

Suddenly, the most peculiar thing occurred. Thinking these thoughts of how she had let Kairi down had some sort of impact on her eyesight for when she thought of them, the brightly lighted hallway seemed to dim more and more with each second that passed. The lights were on and the walls were always that same, pearly-white color but, for some reason, all Akyra saw was a murky, dark version of that image.

_What's going on?_ she thought, suddenly realizing the dreariness of the room. She quickly shook her head as she came back to her senses. The room had suddenly transformed back to its original brightness and Akyra can once again clearly see the figures of her best friends strolling further and further away.

"What…what was that all about?" she asked herself, clutching her necklace and gazing around the room in horror. Why DID the light begin to fade?

"Akyra, are you coming?" Sora asked, standing before a bright door with a world card in his palm.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm coming…" she answered, scampering towards him and trying hard to forget the incident that had just occurred…

* * *

Zexion's steps echoed through the basement walls. By just listening, you can tell that he was in a hurry to see Vexen, who stood at the end of the hallway. 

"I've identified the scent," he said, almost out of breath, "It's Riku."

"Riku? But Riku is gone!" Vexen boomed, "He and that king were lost when they ventured beyond the door to darkness. How could he have escaped?"

"Riku once shouldered the darkness. Perhaps that made him half-dark," Zexion suggested.

"And that's why you mistook him for the Superior. Fascinating..." Vexen said in an interested tone, "The dark power given to Riku facilitated his escape from the realm of darkness. One with ties to both the Keyblade and the powers of darkness... This merits further research."

Zexion shook his head in disbelief. Everything merited research when Vexen was involved.

"What I want to know is why Riku appeared here in Castle Oblivion," he said.

"Ha! That's simple. His existence resonates with that of another hero. Sora came, so Riku followed," Vexen explained.

"Sora's in the castle?"

"Yes, he and his companions arrived earlier. By now that dog Marluxia is already using Naminé to meddle with Sora's heart," Vexen said, the mere thought of Marluxia angering him.

"Interesting. I had no idea…" Zexion said in bewilderment.

"I don't think Marluxia plans to hand Sora over, but...he can play his little game. If he gets Sora, then we need only acquire Riku. If he truly is like the Superior, then we will be untouchable!" Vexen exclaimed.

"And what will we do about Akyra?" Zexion asked.

"She will need to be eliminated…" Vexen said calmly. Sensing what Vexen may have been thinking, Zexion spoke up: "Brute force will not eliminate her. We must opt for something different."

"Oh? Well, then we'll leave her to herself for now…"

"You know very well we cannot do that, Vexen," Zexion answered, "She is a strong opponent. Not only can her memories not be altered but she also –"

"No worries, Zexion," Vexen interrupted, "this experience is entirely new to her. It is true that she is strong, but she is also unmerciful and disoriented. She is distracted too easily and shuns the dark away with too much force. Deep inside, she is utterly lost in her own confusion. It won't be long until she gives up and falls into darkness…"

Zexion looked away from Vexen, trying his best to believe what he had just said was true. For some reason, something just didn't seem right. Sensing his uncertainty, Vexen tried to convince him:

"Be patient," he said coolly, "Her own self will be her downfall…"

* * *

KHA: Guess what?  
Audience: You're quitting fanfiction? FINALLY!  
KHA: Erm... no. But I'm interested in everyone's opinion!  
Akyra: Whoop-de-doo... How will that change my fate?  
KHA: It won't.  
Akyra: Meh... (sulks)  
KHA: I have the strange urge to ask a random opinion question and hear everyone's opinion!  
Roxas: It's official... she's lost it...  
KHA: Who's your favorite Organization member? I like Demyx cause he's a kook. And also, who can not love Roxas?  
Roxas: I like myself :)  
Akyra: I hate them all...  
Audience: They're AWESOME!  
KHA: Not the answers I was expecting... O.o Tell me what you think? XD 


	10. Freak Out!

KHA: I swear... If the exams didn't kill me, I am truly invincible...  
AKyra: What TOOK you so long... (sob)  
KHA: May I say I did a spectacular job on my Chemistry, Greek and English exams.  
Audience: What about your French, History, Math, Physics and Career Choice exams?  
KHA: O.o Let's not go there... Anyways, now that I'm on summer vacation, I'll try my best to update at least once a day. This fanfictionWILL be finished by the end of summer!  
Everyone: YAY!  
Roxas: NU!  
Akyra: What's the matter?  
Roxas: (sob) No more ice cream... (sniff)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, COM or Kingdom Hearts 2. Got it memorized? XD.. ...I don't own Axel. O.o

* * *

"There is something strange about this place…" Akyra sighed. 

"And why is that, Akyra?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know…" she replied, "But I have a weird feeling that this place is going to freak me out…"

Akyra had a weird taste for her surroundings. Either something dangerous or supernatural amuses her, or it freaks her out beyond belief. For example, she'd find a beastly, purple, behemoth monster adorable. But she'd scream with horror when a fully dressed rabbit carrying a pocket watch jumps out of a patch of bushes. Which is exactly what happened. The white rabbit scurried past them, muttering something under its breath, and Akyra, naturally, screamed and jumped back in surprise.

"What is it?" Donald quacked, alarmed by her screech.

"I-I-It's a rabbit! A dressed, walking, talking rabbit!" she shuddered.

"Akyra, you've got problems…" Donald replied, putting away his unused staff.

"I've got problems? Donald… the rabbit was wearing CLOTHES!"

"I'll admit that's odd but you don't have to scream!"

"I…. erm…. wanted to… alert everybody?" Akyra said, shrugging her shoulders and putting on her most innocent look.

"Smart aleck…" Donald muttered.

"I'm late! I'm late!" the rabbit interrupted as he scurried past them, "I'm dreadfully, awfully late! The queen will roast me for dinner! If I'm late for the trial, it'll be off with MY head next!"

"What do you mean 'off with your head'?" Sora called out.

"Oh my fur and whiskers! I'll never make it!" the rabbit continued, as if Sora had never spoken. He hopped a short distance and scampered towards a large bushel of trees.

"Off with his HEAD?" Sora asked louder, turning to face his friends.

"Oh no! The poor bunny!" Akyra sobbed.

Donald shifted his head and glared at her as he tapped his foot on the ground. A couple of seconds ago, she was afraid of it. And now, she's concerned for its well-being.

"It's called sarcasm, Donald…. SARCASM," she said when she noticed Donald's angry expression.

"You guys, listen up!" Sora said, "Maybe there's trouble here… We should follow him."

The group looked at each other with vigilant looks and agreed. Within a matter of seconds, the four of them trotted off side-by-side, as if they were in a military parade.

* * *

They eventually found a crack in the forest, which led to where the rabbit was headed only moments ago. This new place was much different from their last surroundings. In the forest, everything was larger than life. The flowers were roughly Goofy's size and the mushrooms were taller than any mushroom they had ever seen. In the new area, nothing was bigger than usual and everything seemed to be normal. Except for the sky, which didn't look like a sky at all. I was painted various colors to resemble a sky but the group quickly noticed that it had corners in it, as if the sky was boxed in. 

Some sort of trial seemed to be in order. A small throne in the centre of the room held a short, blonde girl wearing a blue dress as well as a horrified look on her face. On the other side, a smaller platform connected to a little flight of stairs held the white rabbit the group had been chasing. Finally, a large throne resting against the wall held an old haggard queen with a bright red face and a large mole on her chin. Sora and Akyra both caught sight of the mole and turned to face each other.

"Eww…." they muttered silently to each other.

"Hey, this must be that trial the White Rabbit was talking about!" Donald whispered.

Just then, the queen stamped her fists quite rudely on her table, signalling everyone to remain silent. The group stood tall and held their breaths, not wanting to disturb the queen, who looked like a ticking time bomb that will go off at any second.

"Alice! Do you understand the charges against you?" The White Rabbit asked.

"Of course not!" the girl named Alice yelled, "I've done nothing wrong!"

"Feigning ignorance, dear?" the queen said in a raspy voice, "You are charged with aiding the Heartless who threaten this kingdom!"

"Fiddlesticks! Where's the evidence?" Alice inquired.

"The evidence is... I forgot! That's the evidence! Because you, Alice, are the one who stole my memory!"

"What kind of evidence is that?" Sora muttered through gritted teeth, his temper rising.

"We can't rid the kingdom of Heartless until we get Her Majesty's memory back. This is a serious crime!" The Whit Rabbit added.

"This is so unfair! So what if you're a queen! Don't blame me just because you can't remember things!" Alice whined.

"Such insolence! You're talking to the Queen of Hearts! And I'd have let you go, had you apologized straightaway! What a brazen thief!"

"Who's the brazen one?" Sora growled.

"The court has reached a verdict! The sentence is death!" The Queen of Hearts boomed.

"That lady's insane!" Akyra screeched.

"We have to stop this!" Sora yelled, running off towards the Queen's throne, "Hold it!"

"Sora, try not to do anything rash…" Donald prayed as he followed closely behind the rest.

"This trial is a farce! You should investigate before you arrest innocent people!" Sora threatened.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Queen said in her screechy, raspy voice, "Are you saying Alice didn't steal my memory? I suppose you know who the real culprit is, then!"

"You see, that's what I meant…" Donald said, shaking his head in disbelief at Sora's stupidity.

"Huh? I…erm…" Sora stuttered, clearly in a sense of panic.

"Speak! Or Alice's sentence will be carried out! Now, out with it! Who's the thief?" The Queen roared even louder.

"Um...uh..." he hesitated, looking desperately to find an answer, "Um… I'm the thief!"

Akyra, Donald and Goofy whirled around to face Sora so quickly, you could have sworn they generated a strong breeze while doing so. They were astounded by Sora's statement. What was he talking about? And most importantly, how will they escape the trouble they just got themselves into?

"Say that again?" The Queen asked as innocently as possible.

"Gawrsh, really?" Goofy asked.

"Of course not! But what else am I supposed to say?" he answered in a low voice.

"CARDS!" the Queen screamed so loudly and so suddenly that it caused the group to jump back in surprise, "Seize them all!"

"Cool!" Akyra said with a grin as she was being transformed into a card, "It's a card on card battle!" Sora chuckled at her lame joke and jumped in the air to catch the cards, ready for battle.

* * *

"Whew…" Sora puffed, watching his friends materialize from their card forms. 

"Hey! Where's Alice?" Akyra asked, looking around for her.

"Looks like she escaped!" Goofy said with a wide grin.

"Perhaps she did. But YOU won't!" The Queen roared as she ordered more of her army of cards after them.

"I think we've been trumped!" Donald quacked.

"Run!" Sora ordered. The rest didn't need to be told twice. They sped off towards the crack in the wall they had come through before, hoping to find sanctuary.

* * *

"Ow… That Ace of Spades hurts…" Akyra said as she rubbed the back of her head. 

"Ace of Spades?" Sora said, patting his wrist where one of the cards took a mean slash, "At least you didn't get hit by that Nine of Clubs…"

"You came!" said an innocent voice. Alice, who had popped out of nowhere, approached them to greet them.

"Things got a little crazy back there, but at least you're okay," Sora said, smiling.

"I don't mean to be ungrateful, but..." she started, looking rather worried, "was that true, what you said? Are you the thief?"

"What? Of course not! Why would I steal the queen's memory?"

"Yep," Goofy agreed, "Sora only said that 'cause he wanted to save-"

"-to show off!" Donald interrupted.

"Is that right? Well, you saved me all the same. Thank you, Sora," Alice thanked, as she took a small bow. Nobody took notice, but as Alice curtsied in thanks, a purple and pink striped cat had appeared on Donald's head. It stood on its hind legs and began dancing, as if it was trying to make fun of the way humans danced.

"Hey, Donald! There's a cat on your head!" Akyra pointed out.

"WHAT? Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" Donald quacked, hopping up and down, screeching like mad.

"Why? It's doing nothing to har- huh?" Akyra's voice trailed off.

The cat on top of Donald's head was just about to hop off until it spinned around, looked Akyra straight in the eye, put its paws around its neck and…. popped off its head! Akyra screeched like crazy and fell to the floor.

"Akyra, are you okay?" Sora asked, grabbing her hand and trying to pull her up.

"Cat…. head… popping… head… gone… head… gone…" she mumbled, her eyes wide with horror.

"What's so scary about a-" Donald asked, turning around to face the oh-so-scary cat…. or should I say oh-so-scary-headless-cat?

"WHACK!" Donald quacked.

"Oh, look! It's the Cheshire Cat!" Alice said merrily, pointing to the cat that had now put his head back on straight. Sora had finally managed to pull Akyra to her feet and snap her out of her state of shock. Pretty soon, everyone watched the Cheshire Cat in awe, waiting to hear what it will say next.

"Feeling better after that mad dash? You're not out of the woods yet. The queen's stickler for justice! She won't forget you till she remembers! She won't stop hounding you till you get her memory back! Did she forget because she remembers? Does she remember that she forgot? Doesn't matter, I suppose," the Cheshire Cat said. He seemed to love speaking in riddles.

"I don't know… I think we oughta just stay away from her," Sora suggested.

"That's all well and good for us, Sora," Jiminy chirped, "but what about Alice? If the queen catches her again, it's off with… well, you know…."

"Then I guess we'd better do something about the queen," Sora concluded.

"You should do something. But you don't have to do anything," said the Cheshire Cat.

"What?" Akyra wondered, perplexed by the Cheshire Cat's answer. Instead of answering her, it merely vanished and reappeared atop a tree branch, dancing its mimicking dance.

"If you can't remember something, it's like it never happened. Likewise, if something never happened, you can't remember it. Try too hard to remember, and your memory might lie to you."

"Lie?" Sora asked under his breath. He had the strange feeling that this comment had something to do with their adventure in Castle Oblivion.

"That's all I'll say," said the Cheshire Cat before disappearing into thin air, "The rest is for you to figure out."

* * *

After speaking with the Cheshire Cat, Alice led the troop through the lush forest and into a very different room. It looked like a weird sort of oversized kitchen, with various items hanging from the wall and the ceiling. A lonesome table stood in the middle of the room accompanied by only one chair. 

"Gawrsh, what's with the sudden change of scenery?" Goofy asked, staring in awe at two small tables hanging from the ceiling.

"Let's look around!" Alice suggested, turning around, "Oh, dear!" While the five of them were taking their time admiring the surroundings, none of them had noticed The Queen of Hearts emerge into the room with a couple of her card soldiers.

"Thought you'd seen the last of me, did you?" The Queen spat.

"Uh oh…" Sora muttered.

"Game's up scoundrels! For stealing my memory, I sentence you to... I sentence you to...I...sentence...Oh? What's going on? Where am I?" The Queen shrieked, gasping for air, her arms flailing wildly.

"Huh?" Donald asked, confused by the queen's behaviour.

"What in the world am I doing? Confound it, I can't remember!"

"What's wrong with her?" Sora yelled, alerted by the situation.

"Maybe somebody swiped her memory again?" Goofy wondered.

For some reason, this reminded Akyra of something that happened to her long, long ago. She didn't remember exactly what happened or who was involved, but she did remember that someone spoke to them. But what did they say?

"Oh, darn, it's on the tip of my tongue…" she mumbled.

_You made it! The shadows will be here soon. Are you prepared for the worst? If you're not prepared, too bad!  
_

"The shadows will be here soon…" she said louder.

"Huh? What did you say, Akyra?" Sora asked.

"Are you prepared for worst?" she repeated, "If not, too bad!"

She jerked her head upwards and stared closely at the ceiling. Something was there that definitely wasn't there before. A kind of paper ball that seemed to get bigger with every second.

"MOVE IT!" Akyra yelled and skidded away from it. It turned out not to be a paper ball at all. Though it WAS made of paper. It had two long, flexible arms that each held a flaming juggling stick. The Heartless symbol on its chest made it clear that it was an enemy.

"So this is what stole the queen's memory!" Sora shouted in surprise, whipping out his Keyblade.

* * *

"You there! All of you! What is the meaning of this? Where did that Heartless come from?" The Queen of Hearts roared once the Trickmaster had been disposed of. 

"How would WE know?" Sora yelled back, getting annoyed by her sour attitude.

"So, you refuse to answer? You're hiding something! They're plotting against me! Seize them immediately!" she cried as her army of card soldiers surrounded the group.

"Got any ideas?" Akyra asked them with a worried look. Donald exchanged the same look with her and shook his head.

"Please, Your Majesty, wait! It was you who commanded us to destroy the Heartless!" Alice called out over the sound of ruffling cards. The card soldiers never were well organized, so instead of forming a straight line, they usually ended up in shambles.

"Your Majesty, in her prudence," Alice continued, "didn't completely trust us at first. And so, at Your Majesty's command, we fought the Heartless to prove ourselves. Isn't that right, Sora?"

Sora, as well as the others, wore a shocked look on their faces as Alice said this. What else could they do but to play along with her?

"We did?" Sora hesitated, "I mean, we did! Your, uh, Majesty…"

"I...told you...to do that?" The Queen asked.

"Your Majesty, don't you remember?" Akyra asked sweetly.

"Don't be ridiculous!" she snapped, "I never forget anything! Of course I gave the command. Alice, Sora, you did splendidly!" Believing she had heard enough, The Queen of Hearts summoned her card soldiers and trotted off, leaving the group.

"Well, that was close." Alice sighed.

"Way to improvise! I never would've thought of that!" Sora said, amazed.

"But the Cheshire Cat said as much. "Try too hard to remember and your memory might lie to you." The queen would never admit she forgot. So instead, she remembered something...that didn't happen! She ended up fooling herself," Alice explained.

"Well, I guess you'll be safe now…" Sora sighed, as if he had a lot on his mind.

"And that queen won't give us any more trouble! After all, we got rid of the Heartless, just like she commanded!" Goofy pointed out.

"Goofy…" Akyra laughed, shaking her head.

"Don't tell me you've been fooled, too!" Donald added in, letting out one of his loud, quacking laughs…

* * *

KHA: I can't wait to start my KH2 ficcy... I already thought about the entire story...  
Akyra: Great... More torturing...  
Audience: GREAT!  
Akyra: It's called sarcasm... SARCASM!  
Audience: No, this is called déjà vu!  
Roxas: No more ice cream... (sob)  
Akyra: By gosh... you're right! 


	11. I'll Remember You Soon

KHA: Sorry. I was supposed to update yesterday but the site refused to upload the chappie. O.o Also, it's pitifully short. And lastly, I won't be updating until Monday.  
Audience: So many excuses... (ish dizzy)  
KHA: Hey it's not my fault. Italy's playing today in the World Cup of Soccer. And I'm very proud to say that I am a part of their insanity for soccer. :D  
Akyra: O.o Why do you torture us?  
Roxas: Still no ice cream!  
KHA: I just bought ice cream!  
Roxas: It's gone! (sob)  
KHA: (sigh)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or COM. Or the World Cup. But I own Akyra. HA! Take THAT!

* * *

Sora, Donald, Akyra and Goofy were pacing down the pearl hallways of Castle Oblivion in silence. It was like this all the time. Donald led the group, followed by Goofy, followed by Sora and Akyra, staying silent throughout the whole trip to the next floor. But, for some reason, they stayed silent most of the time until someone raised a subject for conversation. This time, it was Sora's turn. 

"Say, Akyra, who was that we remembered earlier? It was Kairi... Wasn't it?" he asked.

"Yep, I'm pretty sure it was Kairi," she concluded without thinking.

"Hmm…" Sora thought for a second, stopping in his tracks.

"Why do I always end up dragging you?" Donald said with a sigh, "Snap out of it and GET A MOVE ON! You want to find Riku and the king, don't you?"

Akyra rolled her eyes in irritation and sped off to rejoin them, Sora following closely behind.

* * *

Riku footsteps made a soft thumping noise as he proceeded through the hallway. But, no matter how soft the sound of his footsteps was, it still echoed off the drippy basement walls. Little did Riku know that he was not alone. Waiting patiently for him at the end of the hallway was none other than Vexen, the mad scientist. Vexen didn't like too much company. This is the reason why, whenever you are in his presence, you can be sure he might want something of you. 

"Riku, I presume?" he asked in a sweet, yet calm voice.

"Who are you? Are you with Ansem?" Riku asked in rage.

"You are half correct. Let us say that it's not the Ansem you know. He is Ansem and he is not… which is the say he is nobody."

" Nobody, huh?" Riku asked with attitude, "Sorry, riddles aren't my thing. Try making some sense."

"He belongs to neither the light nor the dark," Vexen explained, "but walks the twilight between. As do I. And for that matter… Ha ha, that's right. We have much in common."

"Maybe we do... But so what! Is that an invitation to join your club? Yeah, there's darkness inside me, just like you said. But darkness is my enemy! And you are, too, for making everything around here reek of it!" Riku yelled in fury.

Vexen shifted his eyes slightly, pulled a deck of cards out of his pocket and said, "Oh ho, so it's a fight you want. Very well- a fight you shall get!"

* * *

Riku had spectacularly emerged the victor from this battle. Or so he thought… 

"Ha ha ha... This battle has made it clear. The darkness coursing through you is a tremendous power. All you needed was the right provocation," Vexen said coolly.

"Great. So this was a trick?" Riku said, realizing what Vexen's true intentions were.

"Precisely. Your fiery reaction provided just the data I needed. You have my thanks, Riku!"

Without another word, Vexen vanished into thin air with a sinister smile on his face. Riku ended up staring blankly at the stone wall for a few minutes, trying his best to figure out what Vexen was up to. Sadly, he never had the slightest idea…

* * *

"I remember!" Sora exclaimed abruptly, causing the others to jump back in surprise. 

"What is it?" Donald quacked.

"There was another girl…"

"What? Where!" Goofy shouted, scanning the area in search of another girl.

"No, no, I mean on the islands where Akyra and I used to live. Besides Kairi, Riku and Akyra, there was one other girl we were friends with. The five of us used to play together all the time…" Sora said in a dreamy voice.

"What…" Akyra muttered, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I'll be! I think that's the first time you've ever mentioned her!" Jiminy said with joy, taking a seat on Donald's puffy hat.

"Yeah...I forgot all about her. I think she went away when I was still little. Remember, Akyra?" he asked.

"I… I…" Akyra didn't have the heart to tell him. She had absolutely no idea who he was talking about. Then again, she can't keep secrets from her best friend.

"Sora…" she started, "I don't know who you're talking about…"

"What? B-but you have to have some idea! I also remember that the both of you were almost constantly together, sharing your secrets, doing that girly stuff… I remember thinking the both of you were inseparable…"

"I… We were?" Akyra asked in awe.

Sora must've been telling the truth. If he said they were the best of friends, there is a good chance they probably were. But Akyra didn't remember anyone at all. Is she really cruel enough to forget her best friends? No, never. Then why couldn't she remember this girl?

"She was my best friend, Sora?" Akyra asked with a sad look on her face.

"Yeah…"

"That's strange…" Donald muttered, deep in thought, "Why are you remembering all that now? And why doesn't Akyra remember anything?"

"I'm not sure. But it's been coming back to me in places as we go through the castle…" Sora answered.

"What's her name?" Jiminy asked.

"I don't remember. I feel kinda dumb. Here we are, saying we won't forget our friends...and I can't even remember her name!"

"Aw… Sora…" Akyra muttered softly.

"Say, you started remembering this girl in the castle, right?" Goofy asked, watching Sora nod in agreement, "And that hooded guy said we'll forget things but remember new ones, right?" Again, the rest of them nodded.

"Then that means, if we keep going through this castle, you're bound to remember it, just like the rest!"

"Yeah!" Sora said cheerfully, "And Akyra will start remembering her too!"

"Say, you're right!" Akyra agreed, a large grin spreading across her face.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's keep going!" Donald quacked, his face lighting up.

"Come on, you guys! I'll race you to the door!" Akyra cried as she darted off towards the staircase, closely followed by Sora, Donald, Goofy and their roars of laughter. Akyra couldn't wait to get to the next world. But most of all, she just couldn't wait to start remembering her long lost friend.

_What possessed me to forget about her in the first place?_ she thought, _Oh well… at least now, I'll remember…soon…_

* * *

The world they had just ended up in was as simple and dull as dried broccoli. The room was a fairly big size but had nothing in it. The squishy walls were entirely purple and splattered with splotches of color that seemed to twitch occasionally when nobody looked. 

"What a weird place! Everything's kinda springy and soft," Sora pointed out, poking at some of the walls.

"Nice and warm, too. I'm startin' to feel like a nap…" Goofy yawned.

"Yeah, but this place also looks like intestines…" Akyra commented, "Are we inside something?"

"Shouldn't you be a little more worried?" the soft voice of a young boy called.

"Who's there?" Donald yelped, hopping around to find the owner of that voice. "Don't you get it? You're inside the belly of Monstro the Whale!" the voice said again.

"I was right. We ARE inside something…" Akyra said.

"Why, I know that voice..." Jiminy said from the top of Akyra's head, "Pinocchio? Pinoke, it's you! Come on out!"

Emerging from the shadowy corner of the room was a little wooden boy, no older than seven years old. He scurried towards the group, a wide grin painted on his face. He seemed to know Jiminy quite well.

"Is that you, Jiminy? Gosh, I never though I'd meet you here!" he said joyfully.

"You can't get away from me, son. I'm your conscience. Your conscience should guide whatever you do. Remember?" Jiminy asked, hoping off Akyra's head and onto the floor.

"Sure, Jiminy. I've been a good boy while you were gone. I didn't tell a single lie!" Pinocchio seemed quite confident about his answer. That is, until his nose grew a couple of inches in a matter of seconds. The group was amazed by this and leaned in closer to have a better look at it.

"Well, for Pete's sake!" Jiminy said, obviously disappointed in him.

"Oops! But...how did YOU end up inside Monstro, anyway?" he asked.

"We, uh, sort of used a special way..." Sora hesitated, scratching the back of his head.

"It's so special, we don't know how we did it!" Goofy added in with a grin.

"That's too bad... I was hoping you could help me and Father get out of here…" Pinocchio sighed.

"Well, I'll be! Geppetto's here, too?" Jiminy beamed.

"Sure. Want to see him?" he asked, watching the five of them nod, "Follow me!"

With that, Pinocchio darted off towards an opening in the wall, closely followed by the rest of the group.

* * *

Roxas: That's it! I will not tolerate this! I demand ice cream!  
Audience: Why don't you go on strike?  
Roxas: EXCELLENT! I will call myself... RASOPATAOIC  
Akyra: O.o  
Roxas: It stands for "Roxas And Some Other People Against The Absence Of Ice Cream!"  
Everyone: O.o  
Roxas: O.o I shall go make picket signs now... The RASOPATAOIC will be back! 


	12. Eww Squishy Intestines

KHA: Shiny new Monstro chappie.  
Akyra: Since when is Monstro shiny? O.o  
KHA: Since I said it. LIVE WITH IT! Anyways, Happy Belated Canada Day! The only day of the year when I can go on a sugar high and no one will get mad. XD  
Akyra: Eh... I remember Canada day... so... much... sugar-highness! O.o  
KHA: I also didn't use up all my fireworks (sob)  
Roxas: R-E-S-P-E-C-T  
Some other people: Find out what that means to me!  
Roxas: R-E-S-P-E-C-T!  
Some other people: Find out what that means to me!  
Akyra: Still on strike?  
KHA: Yep... (sigh)

Disclaimer: I don't own KH or COM. Akyra's always mine. And I don't own the "Respect" song either. That belongs to the lady who sings it. :D

* * *

"Eww… I hate intestines…" Donald moaned as they proceeded through a dark, narrow path. 

"As long as we don't get digested, I'm fine…" Akyra pointed out.

"D-d-d-d-digested?" he stammered before letting out a fearful whimper.

"Geppetto!" Jiminy interrupted as they stepped into the clearing.

Of course, the clearing was a lot cleaner and less squishy than where they had been traveling. A fairly large pool of water covered the entire ground and a bulky, broken ship stood leaning against the wall. Among the debris of the ship, the group was able to see a small room that held a fish bowl, a kitten and a white-haired man wearing big, round glasses. They quickly assumed this man was Geppetto.

"Bless my soul, it's Jiminy Cricket. How in the world did you get here?" he chuckled, watching the group make their way towards him.

"You tell me! How does a clockmaker wind up in the belly of a whale?" Jiminy asked.

"Well, it's a long story…" the clockmaker sighed.

"Ooh, a story! Let's hear it! Please?" Akyra asked as innocently as she could. Finally, Geppetto let out a small smile as everyone gathered around to listen to his tale.

* * *

"So you sailed out to look for Pinocchio…" Donald repeated. 

"…and Monstro swallowed you!" Goofy finished.

"Well, it was worth it, because I found my son," Geppetto said kindly.

"But now you can't get out, can you? It must be awful being stuck inside Monstro…" Sora said with concern.

"Not if Pinocchio and I are together," he pointed out, "I couldn't live without him. There's nothing better than being reunited with someone you care about."

" I feel the same way, Geppetto…"Akyra said softly, slightly shifting her head to look at her friends with kind eyes.

"I don't care if I'm trapped here, so long as I have Pinocchio. He's such a good boy."

"Well, he still tells fibs. But with a little help from me..." Jiminy started but was quickly interrupted by Geppetto.

"Oh, Jiminy. You worry too much!"

"Erm… Speaking of Pinocchio… where is he?" Sora pointed out. The group scanned the area for a moment but were not able to find the small wooden boy anywhere.

"I expect he's off exploring. That boy has been poking around just about every square inch of Monstro. He won't tell me why it's so important. I tell him it's dangerous, but he won't listen," Geppetto explained.

"That puppet's a handful!" Jiminy chirped, hopping into Sora's pocket, "Sora, if you don't mind…"

"I know, I know. You want us to help you find him, right? C'mon guys, let's get going!" Sora said, motioning for his friends to go with him. He was a little surprised to find out that his friends were already making their way towards the entrance they had come through. They were so used to being asked to find someone that they didn't need to be told twice before setting off on their search.

"Sora! Move it or lose it!" Donald quacked.

"Want us to leave without you?" Akyra called as well. Still wondering how his friends got there so fast, Sora ran up to join them.

* * *

The room they ended up in…well… looked like every other room. Intestines, as Donald called them. But this room had something the other rooms didn't. 

It had memories.

_This is where we met up with Riku again_… Akyra thought, her mind flooding with reminiscences of that time.

It happened again!

Akyra blinked. But when she opened her eyes, the room appeared to have dimmed greatly, and a dark aura seemed to float about. The room was fine, that was for sure. The only difference was that darkness lurked at every corner. This experience wasn't new to Akyra. This happened before, when she thought about… how she might have betrayed Kairi. It seems that every time Akyra recalls an unpleasant memory, she sees darkness. And only darkness.

_Why does this keep happening?_ she asked herself, slightly irritated, _Come on, Akyra! Snap out of it!_

It worked.

The room was just as bright as it was before and the darkness had disappeared. The darkness seems to disappear every time she snaps out of the state she's in. But how long will it be before it drives her insane?

"Pinocchio!" Donald cried, pointing towards the centre of the room, where Pinocchio was running around in circles, flailing his arms wildly in the process.

"Pinocchio, you naughty boy! You know Geppetto worries when you wander off by yourself!" Jiminy scolded once the group approached the tiny wooden boy.

"Jiminy was worried too!" Donald added.

"And so were we!" Goofy added as well.

"I'm sorry…" Pinocchio apologized, hanging his head in shame.

"What are you doing anyway? Looking for something?" Sora asked.

"Um… yeah! I'm looking for treasure!" Pinocchio said. It was obvious he was lying, because his nose began to grow a couple of inches.

"Here we go again…" Jiminy sighed.

"But Jiminy!" Pinocchio whined.

"Now, don't be so hard on the little fella, Jiminy," Goofy said with a wide grin, "We promise not to get mad, Pinocchio. Is that why you're afraid to tell? No need to fret. Tell us the truth… we'll understand. Put yer trust in Goofy!"

The little boy poked his head up and watched longingly at the group, who were smiling at him with kind eyes. Feeling confident, he spoke up.

"I was looking for a way out. Father says he's happy, but it's my fault we're stuck here. I shouldn't have run away from home. I want to help Father get home to the workshop. But he'll worry if I tell him what I'm doing."

"I get it! So that's why you had to lie…" Jiminy said.

"You did it 'cause you love your dad!" Goofy said cheerfully.

"All you need now is courage!" Donald pointed out.

"What?" Pinocchio asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"Tell Geppetto the truth. With a little courage, you can do it! If you tell him how you really fell, I bet he'll help you find a way out," Sora said with a smile.

"And we'll give you a hand!" Akyra added in.

"Really? You'll help us? Okay, I'll give it a try! Wish me luck, Jiminy!" the little wooden boy said, ready to stride towards where Geppetto waited.

"No more keeping secrets, then. Have we got a deal?" Jiminy asked firmly.

"Sure! I'll be brave and tell Father how I really feel. No lies this time!" Pinocchio said with a smile.

"Great! Then your nose won't-" Jiminy was rudely interrupted by the ground shaking.

This always happened. Whenever they were close to finishing their conversation with someone, the ground would rumble and a dangerous Heartless would emerge from the dust. This time, a huge, pink Heartless appeared, looking like a cross between a jellyfish and a cage.

"I got a bad feeling about this…" Donald gulped.

"Pinocchio, run for it!" Jiminy called. But the puppet was nowhere to be seen.

"Help! I'm trapped!" they heard a tiny voice call. Someway, somehow, Pinocchio had been caught by the Heartless when they weren't looking and was stored in its unique looking cage.

"Hang on! We'll get you out of there!" Sora yelled, hopping into the air and catching the three cards that had just appeared at his side…

* * *

The Heartless was quickly defeated but Pinocchio still wasn't able to free himself from the cage that enclosed him. 

"Help me! I'm scared!" he cried.

"Pinocchio, be brave!" Sora encouraged him.

"How?"

"Don't give up! Try fighting your way out!"

"Be brave… Okay, I'll try!"

The little wooden boy struggled, thrashed and fought the cage the best he possibly could. Soon, the cage couldn't contain all his movement and spit him out like a cannonball.

"Pinocchio! Are you alright?" Jiminy asked, his voice filled with worry.

"Don't worry, I'm okay. Just a little sticky..." he said, brushing himself off, "But I have a great idea! The Heartless spit me out when I started struggling. Why don't we try the same thing with Monstro?" The group looked at each other and thought for a moment. It sounded like a great idea.

"Of course! If we're lucky, Monstro might cough us up!" Sora explained, "Let's go deeper inside and try it!"

"I'm going too!" Pinocchio added but was suddenly interrupted by Jiminy. "No, it's too dangerous, Pinoke…" he said. "Aw, c'mon…" the little wooden boy moaned.

"You should be with Geppetto," Jiminy explained, "No use escaping from Monstro if you two get separated again!"

"You should leave this to us," Akyra continued.

"I guess you're right…" Pinocchio sighed, "Be careful, everybody!" So, the group watched Pinocchio speed off to join his father before exploring deeper into the whale.

* * *

They ventured through the whale for almost half an hour before finally stopping at a dead end. This is as far as they were ever going to go. 

"Ready, everyone?" Sora asked enthusiastically, "Let's shake things up!"

"It would be easier if we had someone to fight…" Akyra suggested. As if they were listening to her request, a couple of Heartless suddenly materialized in front of them, their soft, black antennas poking through the air.

"Perfect timing. Looks like we got company!" Sora said, whipping out his Keyblade and preparing himself for battle.

----------------------------------------------

"It's working!" Jiminy chirped as the ground began to rumble violently, "Monstro's gonna sneeze!"

"EARTHQUAKE!" Donald and Akyra shouted together, kneeling on the floor and shielding their heads. For a couple of seconds, it did feel like a violent earthquake had stirred. But it was calm enough for the group to survive it.

"Oww... Now I know what getting shot out of a cannon feels like," Sora moaned, rubbing his head. The group had managed to pick themselves up but where still a little shook up from the quake.

"Hey, where's Pinocchio and his dad?" Goofy asked.

"They're gone," Jiminy said, "They must have gotten out safely."

"Without you, Jiminy? I thought there was no escaping your conscience!" Sora chuckled.

"I don't mind being left behind, as long as they're both safe. Maybe Pinocchio doesn't need me after all."

"What do you mean?" Donald asked in his usual quacking voice.

"That little puppet used to have trouble telling right from wrong. But he's come a long way. Maybe he doesn't need Jiminy Cricket anymore. Maybe he's better off without me nagging him all the time..."

"Jiminy! How could you say that about someone very important to you who is missing?" Akyra asked sternly yet kindly.

"She's right. Don't you remember what Geppetto said? "There's nothing better than being reunited with someone you care about." I bet Pinocchio's counting the days till he can see you again!" Sora assured him.

Jiminy raised his tiny eyes and looked at everyone thoroughly. As he watched the four of them smiling down at him, he couldn't help but smile as well.

"Well, what do you know... You might be right."

* * *

KHA: How could I forget? If I don't update tomorrow, Happy early Independance day!  
Akyra: Don't go on a sugar high... PLEASE! Take it from someone who knows... (sob)  
Roxas: I shall go on a hunger strike! No eating till I get ice cream!  
KHA: O.o Erm...  
Roxas: The hunger strike has begun!  
Some other people: (cheer)  
Akyra: O.O Eh... That's not a good idea... 


	13. You're Not Worth Remembering

KHA: Is it just me or are my chapters getting smaller? O.o  
Akyra: Nopsie, they're getting smaller.  
KHA: Eh... Anyways, some big stuffies happens in this chappie!  
Akyra: Yay! Stuffies!  
Roxas: So... hungry...  
KHA: Told you the hunger strike was a bad idea...  
Roxas: Eh... X.x

Disclaimer: I don't own KH, COM or KH2. But Akyra's mine! HAHA! I bet you're SO jealous. XD

* * *

"Hey, Sora!" Donald called, his echo bouncing off the milky castle walls, "Did you remember anything else about that girl?" 

"Yeah… Bits and pieces…" Sora replied.

"Tell us about her! Talking about it might help you remember," Goofy exclaimed. Sora watched him closely, as if he were deep in thought, took a deep breath, and began.

"Okay. Um...She was quiet...and almost always drawing pictures. While we were all swimming at the beach, she'd draw a picture of it instead. Sometimes she drew us, too! She was really good at it. I think sometimes Riku and I would fight over who would get his picture drawn next."

"But one day, she was gone. Just like that. I think our parents knew the reason. They might've even tried to explain it to me. But I was little. I probably didn't understand what was happening. I remember crying a little after she was gone. But that's it. I still can't remember her name."

"Still, up until now you didn't remember any of that! At this rate, you'll think of her name in no time!" Donald quacked cheerfully.

"Okay, Akyra, now it's your turn! What do you remember about this girl?" Goofy asked as everyone directed their attention to her.

Akyra brought her gloved index finger to her mouth and thought deeply. Everything Sora had just said made no sense to her whatsoever. Of course, she tried her hardest to recall anything about this girl but…. for some reason, she wasn't able to. How can it be that Sora was beginning to remember about their long lost friend and she didn't have the slightest clue?

All too suddenly, another idea popped into her head. She can't keep agreeing with everyone else, thinking that they know best. She was no pushover and she knew it. She also knew perfectly that she would NEVER forget one of her best friends. If this girl really was close to her, would she really have forgotten about her? Maybe the reason why Akyra wasn't remembering her was because this girl didn't matter as much… This girl wasn't worth remembering. So why should she bust her head trying to remember someone who was never a friend?

"I don't remember this girl…" she said.

"Nothing at all?" Sora asked longingly.

"Nothing…" she sighed.

"Anyone notice something odd?" Jiminy asked, "Sora's remembering things, instead of forgetting them. And Akyra, like the rest of us, is forgetting things instead of remembering them… Hmm... Maybe forgetting things is the only way to reach the memories buried deeper down."

"You mean you have to forget to remember?" Goofy inquired.

"So it's like those black-robed guys said. "Our most precious memories lie deep in our hearts, out of reach." And all that stuff about finding being losing and losing being finding... I didn't get it at first, but maybe this is what they were talking about."

"Of course!" Akyra exclaimed, "We lose memories only to find the ones we forgot we had."

"Aww, that's no fair! Why aren't the rest of us remembering anything yet?" Donald quacked furiously, "Come on, Goofy! We're not forgetting fast enough! Neither are you, Akyra! Let's move!"

He hoped into the air, grabbed Akyra and Goofy's hand and tried to drag them across the hall. Of course, Goofy and Akyra were much larger than Donald himself but that didn't stop him from grunting with effort as he tried to haul them. Sora and Jiminy were quick to follow them, wide grins painted on their faces and laughing at their friends' crazy behaviour.

* * *

"It looks like Sora's memories have taken root, just as we planned," Larxene said with a sickly sweet smile as she peered into the crystal orb that stood on a brightly lit, white table. The rest of the room was so dark that not even the light emitting from the table and the crystal orb was able to light up a tiny corner. Within the orb stood four tiny versions of Sora, Donald, Akyra and Goofy all gathered in a circle. They looked as if they were talking. 

"Let's see how far our boy will go, then. Think it's time for another round?" Axel asked as he stepped into the light, his crimson gravity-defying hair shining with the dim glow of the room.

"Only if it's my turn to play," Larxene answered, sounding like a whining child, "You had your fun on the first floor."

"Remember, Larxene. Our job is to deliver him in one piece," Axel warned, digging into his pocket for a couple of cards and tossing them to her.

"Fine. But who says I can't have my way with him first?" she asked sweetly.

"Don't break him," Axel warned sternly yet calmly.

"Do I detect a soft spot?" she asked with a curt smile.

"He's partly one of us…" he sighed.

"I'm not going to break the toy, Axel… just play with it. I'm not dumb," she answered rudely.

"Then you won't mind the warning. Remember, Sora is the key. We need him if we're going to take the Organization."

"Oh, so now you're in on it too?" she asked with attitude, "Fine. Then keep it under your hood until the time is right."

"If you hunger to break something so much, have your fun with the girl. She needs to be broken anyways," Axel called before Larxene had a chance to leave.

"Don't you worry, Axel, I'll have an EXTRA fun time playing with her…" she said in a sweet voice, "Just don't try to screw anything up while I'm gone."

She disappeared so suddenly after speaking that her echo could have still been heard by the time she was gone. Axel watched the place where Larxene stood moments ago, shaking his head with a huge smile.

"You would have been wise to do the same, Larxene."

* * *

"So, Sora... Have you remembered your friend's name yet?" Donald asked as they approached the next door. 

"Nope," Sora sighed, "For whatever reason, her name's the only thing that isn't coming back."

"That must be driving you crazy. You have the memories, but no name to go with them," Goofy said with a smile.

"Heh… yeah," Sora sighed again as he rummaged through his pockets for another world card, "Huh?"

"What is it?" Akyra asked curiously.

"It's… It's the last world card Axel gave us…" Sora answered softly.

"What are we waiting for? Let's use it and remember some stuff!" Donald quacked cheerfully.

Sora smiled and raised the card as high as his arm could stretch. Once again they were engulfed in light and once again, they proceeded through the door, eager to see what surprises the next world would bring. But, before passing through the door, Akyra turned around to face the hallway one last time. She knew very well that nobody was behind them and that nobody can hear her, but she spoke anyway, convinced her voice will reach the one it was destined for.

"I'm giving you one last chance, Mystery Girl! If I don't remember you after our adventures through this door… I'll know for certain that I'm right about you. I'll know that you're not real; I'll know that you don't exist… I'll also know that Sora is the one who is going bonkers…"

* * *

"Gawrsh! Don't like the looks of this place. I bet it's crawlin' with ghosts!" Goofy whimpered, covering his eyes. 

The last world card held a world like no other. The area was filled with an eerie glow and tombstones were scattered all over the place. Some dim yet creepy lights could be seen here and there and a thick fog seemed to be floating around their ankles and waists. What's worse, it was nighttime. Everything's always scarier at nighttime. Even their clothes had changed to suit the environment. Goofy resembled a zombie, Donald looked like a mummified ghost while Sora and Akyra kind of looked like weird vampires.

"Ooh… pretty…" Akyra muttered, her eyes growing wide with awe as she gazed at the surroundings.

"Do we need any more proof of your insanity, Akyra?" Donald asked.

"I, unlike you, Donald, am not scared that easily. Does that really mean I'm insane?" she asked innocently, putting on her most innocent look.

"I never-…oh, fooie…" Donald sighed, taken aback by the innocence.

If Akyra were to excel in something other than sarcasm, it would be her innocent looks. Why, she was even able to fool Donald Duck, the grumpiest duck ever to walk the planet.

"Besides what's there to worry about?" he said, changing the subject, "You won't be spooked if you already know what's coming! Trust me"

"Welcome to Halloween Town!"

The booming voice had come so suddenly, so abruptly, that the group was taken aback and sent tumbling to the ground, screaming at the top of their lungs.

"Wak! A ghost!" Donald screeched among all the commotion. The voice's owner eventually walked up to them and examined the uproar he had caused. But, unlike anyone else would have done, he smiled at his work.

"Wow, that was the best shriek I've heard in ages! If you're THAT easy to scare, I'm gonna have a great time!" The four of them looked up at stranger at once, unhappy looks on their faces.

"Sorry, I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Jack Skellington! Halloween Town is my town. I'm the king of nightmares and the master of terror! If you want chills and horror, you've come to the right place!"

"Well, we don't!" Donald quacked, lifting himself up from the pile of friends.

"At the moment, we've got a little problem in Halloween Town," Jack sighed.

"What kind of problem?" Sora asked. If anyone had a problem, the gang was always quick to offer to help.

"Well… a problem like this!" The moment he finished speaking, four or five Shadow Heartless rose from their sinking stance under the ground, crawling around and fidgeting their antenna like mad.

"Gyaaa!" Sora cried in shock, his friends transforming into cards behind him.

* * *

"That was marvellous!" Jack applauded once the last Heartless had been disposed of. 

"What's the big idea? Why'd you go call the Heartless?" Donald shrieked with fury.

"I didn't call them. In fact, I'd love to get rid of them. The Heartless go around attacking people, instead of just scaring them," Jack explained.

"Why are they here?" Akyra asked.

"That, my dear… I don't know," he replied as his face fell, "Though I was just going to go ask Dr. Finkelstein the same question. I'm heading to his laboratory right now. Follow me!"

He spinned around and marched away, looking like a bendy straw among the thick fog of the town.

"Sora, what should we do?" Jiminy asked, this time from Akyra's head.

"I guess we'd better go…"

"I don't like this. What if he's leading us right to the Heartless?" Donald asked, staying rooted to his spot.

"Bingo! You saw right through me!"

Jack was nowhere to be seen moments ago but this whole time he'd been behind Donald, waiting for the perfect moment to scare him.

"WAK!" he screeched.

"Ha ha ha, just a joke! Now let's get going!" he said, motioning for them to follow.

Donald gave him a suspicious look but ended up by following Jack into the heart of Halloween Town along with his friends, walking slowly and staying alert the whole time, checking for spooks everywhere they go…

* * *

Audience: (glare)  
KHA: What? Okay, what happened in this chappie didn't seem big, but you have to pay attention to it. Trust me, it's gonna be good... (ish proud)  
Audience: That's what you said LAST time...  
Roxas: Can't take it... I gotta eat!  
Akyra: Have some ice cream!  
Roxas: WHERE?  
Akyra: I was kidding...  
Roxas: GAH! That's it! I'm off the hunger strike. But the hunger strike ish still on!  
RASOPATAOIC: (random wild cheers) 


	14. Failed Experiments

KHA: Updatage! WHOOT!  
Audience: Yawn...  
Akyra: I can't take it anymore! Somebody please scare Roxas out of the strike?  
KHA: I'm on it...  
Roxas: ICE CREAM! ICE CREAM!  
KHA: It's final, Roxas! I've decided to make you a permanent member of my posse!  
Roxas: NO! I'm getting out of here! (runs off)  
KHA: I have ice cream.  
Roxas: I'm staying!

Disclaimer: I don't own KH or COM. But I do own the EVIL MUFFINS OF DOOM! MWAHAHA!

* * *

Jack Skellington, the master of Halloween, had led them through his town, past the tombstones, past the ghost houses and past the pile of skulls that caused Donald to jump back and clutch onto Akyra's leg, whimpering and shaking softly. 

"You know, Donald, I can't exactly walk like this…" she pointed out, dragging Donald past a guillotine. She became increasingly irritated with every second he passed glued to her.

"B-b-but I…. WAK!"

A ghost had just casually emerged from a sewage system, drifting around and minding his own business. Of course, Donald was frightened nonetheless. He jumped back and landed on Goofy's head, still whimpering like he was before.

"Say, Donald… I can't see with you on top of my head," Goofy chuckled.

"Just get me outta here!" he shuddered.

"We have arrived! Just up these stairs, please?" Jack said, opening a large gate and motioning for the others to pass. Needless to say that Donald raced towards the door faster than the speed of sound, knocking down Sora, Akyra and Goofy in his wake.

* * *

"Allow me to introduce Dr. Finkelstein, the world-famous genius!" Jack said in a tone of voice that could have been perfect for a game show host. 

Dr. Finkelstein's laboratory was unlike any laboratory the group had ever seen. Of course, there were the traditional things, like a shelf filled with books and equipment scattered on every counter. But there were also some very unusual things, like a lab ray, a stitching set and a very old, bony hand resting in a bowl of steaming liquid. Many photos were plastered against the wall, photos of Jack, someone who looked like the mayor of the town and a lady with short, stringy black hair.

"Oh, please Jack, you flatter me so!" Dr. Finkelstein said, wheeling his wheelchair around to face them, "I may be a world-famous genius but maybe I'm TOO smart. I'm afraid I've created something horrible!"

"Gawrsh, what's that?" Goofy asked, surprised.

"Well… Have you ever stopped to think about 'true memories'?"

"True memories?" Sora asked in awe. Maybe the doctor knew something about the strange events that have been happening in Castle Oblivion?

"Our hearts are full of memories… but not all of them reflect the truth. The heart isn't a recording device. Even important memories change with time. They warp or fade, leaving us with but a shadow of what we hoped to remember."

"Could that be happening to me?" Sora asked.

"It happens to everyone," the doctor answered, "Some memories grow ugly, and some become more beautiful. If we could recover our true memories, the world would seem completely different. So, I devised a potion from forget-me-nots that brings our true memories back."

"Did it work?" asked Akyra.

"Well, that's the problem…" The doctor explained, raising the top of his skull and scratching his brain. The four friends looked away as he did this, avoiding the gruesome sight.

"As soon as the doctor got a whiff of the potion, Heartless started popping up!" Jack exclaimed.

"Sounds to me like the experiment failed," Donald said, crossing his arms in disappointment.

"No!" Dr. Finkelstein interrupted, "My research is flawless! I just need another look at the potion to find out what went wrong! Unfortunately...it's vanished."

"Maybe someone swiped it?" Sora suggested.

"It must've been Sally! Jack, you've got to find her and get my potion back!" the doctor cried.

"Leave it to me!" Jack said valiantly.

"Can we tag along?" Sora asked.

"What for?"

"I want to know more about these "true memories" the doctor keeps mentioning," he answered.

"Excellent!" Jack concluded, rushing up to the door and opening it, "Let's go find Sally then!" Sora, Donald and Goofy trudged along and exited the building, Donald still shaking slightly with fear. Akyra was the last one inside, but she seemed to be taken aback by a photo of the lady with short stringy hair. Why, she didn't even notice the others were gone.

"That's a photo of Queen Amelia…" Jack said, approaching her, "She once had the same title I have now. She was the queen of spooks and scares and appeared in your nightmares!"

Akyra chuckled at the silly rhyme and asked, "Whatever happened to her?"

Jack sighed. "Nobody knows. She just disappeared."

"That's sad…" she muttered. Suddenly, a booming noise that sounded like the quacking of a terrified duck filled the laboratory, perhaps even vaguely shaking the building.

"Hurry, we must find Sally and calm your friend down…" Jack explained to her as they exited the laboratory.

* * *

Nobody had noticed it before but among the shady items in Halloween Town Square lay a small path leading to a whole new part of town. Past the crooked gates was a smaller graveyard with one lonely coffin at the end of the path. Yet, among the graveyard's loneliness stood a willowy girl wearing a dress that was so patched up, it could have belonged to a peasant. But the dress matched beautifully with her, since almost every part of her body was patched up or sown together. 

"There you are, Sally! I thought I'd find you here!" Jack said merrily, waving to his friend. Sally turned around and smiled, clutching something tightly in her sewn hands.

"Who are your friends?" she asked with a smile.

"They're interested in true memories," Jack explained with a grin, "You have the potion, don't you?"

"Well… yes…" she sighed.

"Could you give it back?" Sora asked.

"I guess so, if you insist," she said slowly, "But...I'm afraid. All the Doctor did was smell it, and the Heartless appeared. What if someone drinks it?"

"Are you kidding? What could be more exciting?" Jack cheered.

"I'm worried, Jack," she sighed, "Isn't there another way?"

"Any ideas, Jack?" Sora asked him as everyone turned to see his response.

"I can't think of anything," he said after a quick ponder.

"I can! Give it here!"

The group was so surprised by the sudden booming voice that they jumped back, too shocked to even pay attention at what happened next. Someone… or more appropriately, some THING… had jumped out of the lonesome coffin and swiped the potion from Sally's hands while everyone was still stunned. It looked a lot like a walking bag with three holes at the top that formed two eyes and a mouth. He guffawed greedily as he held the potion in his sack-shaped hands and gazed down at the group with a triumphant look in his eyes.

"Oh, no! The potion!" Akyra screeched above all the ruckus.

"Oogie Boogie! You again!" Jack bellowed.

"Jack, where are your manners?" Oogie insisted in a sinister voice, "I'm just helping you put the potion to good use! You should thank me! Well, well. Just one sniff, and the Heartless appeared. What would happen if I chugged the whole thing? THAT would be scary! Poor Jack! You can't hold a candle to Oogie Boogie. Halloween Town is going to taste pain and despair beyond any nightmare!"

"What is it with these people and rhyming?" Akyra asked as Oogie made a run for it, scurrying as fast as his chunky legs could carry him.

"Pain and despair? Oogie, you monster!" Jack yelled.

"C'mon, Jack! We've gotta go after him!" Sora said, tugging at Jack's arm, motioning him to follow. Pretty soon the five of them were dashing towards where Oogie ran off, leaving Sally behind with a worried look.

* * *

They say you can figure out a lot about someone's personality by examining their belongings. And, the moment the group entered Oogie's atrium, they immediately guessed that Oogie Boogie was a gambler. Poker cards and game tokens were strewn around the room, saws were buzzing in their corners and the floor consisted of a gigantic roulette. 

"Oogie! Hand over the potion!" Jack cried.

"You fools don't know when to quit!" Oogie shrieked, gazing down at the potion cradled in his hands, "Say...all this runnin' around is making me thirsty!"

"Oogie! No!" Sora warned.

"Yes!" he interrupted.

The group watched with fear as he popped the cork off the bottle and spilled the liquid into his mouth. Once he finished guzzling the potion, he threw the bottle aside and watched the gang with an evil smile painted across his rough face.

"Ahh! Lip-smacking good! Now I can awaken my true memories! Agh! What's this? What... Something's welling up deep inside me- something...scary!"

"Oogie! What's going on?" Jack roared.

"No! Get back! Stay away from me! Get away! You're s-s-scaring me!" Oogie cried with fear as Sora whipped out his Keyblade, the rest of the gang waiting to aid him in battle whenever he called for them.

* * *

"Confound that Oogie Boogie! He drank nearly all of my precious potion! There are only a few drops left!" said Dr. Finkelstein, staring down at the practically empty bottle in disbelief. After having defeated Oogie Boogie, the gang collected the empty bottle and brought it back to the doctor's lab… empty. 

"Sora, why don't you ask the doctor if you can drink the rest?" Akyra asked.

"No, I'd better not…" he sighed.

"But don't you want to find out about your true memories?" Jack asked.

"Of course… now more than ever. But there's this guy- Axel. I promised him I'd find the truth on my own."

Akyra, Donald and Goofy looked at each other with big smiles. NOW they understood why Sora wouldn't accept the potion.

"I just don't understand. When I inhaled the potion, Heartless appeared...and when Oogie drank it, he was overcome with fear. What could it mean?" the doctor asked, scratching his brain once again.

"It means the experiment was a failure," Sally said quickly. It seemed she wanted the conversation to end then and there.

"No! I can't be wrong! Oogie MUST have found his true memories! Hmm… True memories must unbalance the heart and cause unpredictable changes within!" the doctor concluded.

"Then...what about me? What happens when my true memories awaken?" Sora asked curiously.

"Perhaps something even more terrifying... But this is all just a hypothesis. I can't be sure without further research."

The doctor ended his speech and wheeled around before leaving the room with Sally, still muttering about something to her. Sora was left dazed and put his finger to his mouth, as if deep in thought.

"What's wrong, Sora? Does the doctor's theory scare you?" Jack asked. "Well, yeah… a little," he sighed.

"That's good to hear!" Jack boomed, practically sweeping Sora off his feet in surprise, "Fear and insecurity are signs of a strong heart. Without that strength, your zest for life would fade...as would your taste for fear. And believe me, that would really ruin my fun!"

Sora nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Jack. I'll remember that."

"Then good luck, lady and gentlemen! May you always enjoy being frightened!" he said.

Donald looked up at Jack with a glare and said, "What's THAT supposed to mean?"

The crowd erupted in a frenzy of laughter as Donald sighed. In the other corner, Akyra watched the others enjoy themselves and turned back to face the photo of Queen Amelia she was always admiring.

"You're lucky. You live in a pretty town, filled with great people. But I have the feeling I know what happened to you…"

With one last look, she tore her gaze away from the photo, said her goodbyes to Jack and exited the laboratory.

* * *

Out in Halloween Town Square, Donald was ranting about how he never wanted to be scared again. Eventually, Akyra had an idea. She motioned to the others to stay quiet and slowly, yet carefully, she crept towards the unsuspecting duck. 

"May I always enjoy being frightened? Ghosts, skeletons, rag dolls and a bag of bugs! Just get me out of this insanely crazy-"

"BOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!" she screeched from behind.

"WAK!"

Donald jumped into the air, higher than any jump he had ever jumped before. Eventually, he dropped back down and ended up landing in Akyra's arms. He flicked his head up and watched his friends as they burst into a frenzy of laughter and guffawing. Yet, even though he was frightened beyond belief, just watching his friends laugh made him crack a smile as well…

* * *

Akyra: (sob) I don't remember my hometown...  
KHA: Yay! I can't wait to write the next chappie... Akyra... brace yourself...  
Audience: YAY! Torturing!  
KHA: Nopsie. But there's a lot of different opinions...  
Audience: This is pathetic...  
Roxas: (slurps ice cream) I'll never let them take you away from me again, sweetheart...  
Everyone: O.o 


	15. Naminé, My Worst Enemy

KHA: Yes the chappie's late, I know. Is it really my fault that Italy chose to win the World Cup? I'm so proud! (huggles italian team)  
Akyra: Need... sugar... now...  
Roxas: She's a little upset about this chappie...  
KHA: YAY! Now you get to see the darker side of Akyra.  
Audience: Darkness? WHERE?

Disclaimer: I don't own KH, COM, or KH2. I guees I don't own FIFA or the World Cup either. But there's no rule against being proud! (huggles Akyra)

* * *

This was her last chance and she didn't take it. The only way she could have reached out to someone important to her and convince them that she cared. This means that she couldn't be bothered with her. This means that she really wasn't worth remembering.

The hallway was oddly noisy this time around. Usually, it was silent for a couple of minutes, then someone would raise a topic for conversation and they would have a feeble discussion. This time, they all began speaking with each other the exact moment they got back from Halloween Town. Three of them, that is.

"Tell us more about her, Sora," Donald asked.

"Hmm… I don't know. I don't remember anything new about her…" he replied.

Meanwhile, Akyra was fuming with anger. How could she do this? Now, nobody can tell her she didn't give that girl a chance. Akyra gave her another chance. She waited for her all throughout her adventures in Halloween Town. But she didn't come… Akyra would have probably felt sad for a moment, since she wasn't able to remember a friend of hers, but this situation only made her angry. She would never forget a friend. Why would she forget this one?

This girl enraged her. Not only did she annoy Akyra to no end but she also was the reason why Sora had been going crazy lately.

"Are you sure you don't remember anything? Nothing special?" Goofy asked.

"Nope, nothing…"

"Could we PLEASE stop talking about her already?" Akyra screeched, causing the others to jump in surprise.

It wasn't often when Akyra got mad. Except when Heartless and big, scary people in black robes were involved. But her friends? Unlikely.

"What's up with you, Akyra?" Sora asked.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I really am but you're driving me mad! Every free second you have, you waste it thinking about this girl! I don't understand. Why do you remember her and I don't?"

"I…" Sora was too lost for words. He had never really thought about why this was happening to her.

"I don't know…"

"I'll tell you why, Sora…" she said sympathetically as she walked up to him, her eyes full of pity, "I don't remember anything about her…" she sighed, "So, it kinda feels like she never was there." She hung her head low and ate her words. She couldn't say what she was about to tell, but something in her heart forced her to tell them the truth. "She doesn't exist to me…"

"That's because you're not remembering fast enough!" Sora intervened so quickly it caused the others to gasp, "Hurry, now, we have to get your memories back!"

He grabbed her hand and attempted to drag her across the hallway, but she was resisting.

"No, Sora, NO!" she cried. Sora, obeying her wishes, stopped in his tracks and turned to face her with a look of confusion.

"Sora, she doesn't exist to me and she never will. Don't try to convince me!"

"You know, Akyra, you're being a little stubborn now," Sora said.

"It's the truth! You can't… you just…"

Her three friends stared at her with such a gaze that she wasn't able to finish. Their look held a swirl of confusion, sadness and a desire to understand what she felt. She couldn't help but feel touched by this. Why was she even yelling at them in the first place?

"I'm sorry…" she apologized with a slight smile.

"Aw, isn't this cute?"

The bodiless voice sounded like it belonged to someone who _LOVED_ taunting. It had a certain coldness in it mixed with a pinch of apathy. The friends spinned around, searching for the source of the voice. They didn't have to look too hard because the figure that owned the voice was standing a couple of feet away. She was tall, slender and had short blonde hair that pushed back behind her head (at the lone exception of two bangs): Larxene. What made the friends despise her the moment they saw her was the fact that she wore a black robe. They had several encounters with black- robed people before.

"You're with Axel, aren't you?" Donald quacked.

"Ooh, aren't you clever. The name's Larxene. Are you enjoying your stay in Castle Oblivion? I bet it's nice to peel all the worthless memories away...and awaken the true memories that lie deep in your heart."

Akyra clutched onto her staff and stared at Larxene straight in the eye. She seemed like the sort who loved to make wisecracks about everything. Akyra smiled. She knew how to handle people like that, since she was one herself.

"True memories?" Sora asked in awe, walking up to her.

"But you're still forgetting something, aren't you, Sora?" she asked in a sickly sweet voice, "The most important thing. When that poor girl hears you've forgotten her name, she'll be heartbroken."

"You know her! Is she...here?" he asked, practically jumping on the spot.

"U-huuuuh," Larxene nodded.

"HA!" Akyra laughed, "Now I know you're lying."

Larxene shifted her gaze towards her, her cold eyes burning through the air like fire burns paper. With an annoyingly sweet smile, she approached her, a heavy gleam in her eyes.

"Can it, staff girl. Unlike Sora, you remember NOTHING about the girl. I wouldn't talk if I were you."

"IF you were me, Larxene. I bet you would do anything to even come close to being me."

All right, Akyra was getting cocky and she knew it. But her plan was working. She was angering Larxene with wisecracks, just like she wanted.

"A rat wouldn't want to be you…" Larxene said through gritted teeth.

"Goodie," Akyra giggled, "Another thing you and the rat have in common."

Larxene was prepared to blow up and Akyra saw right through to it. She even chuckled at how easily she was angered. But, unfortunately for Akyra, she kept her cool.

"I'll have my fun with you later.And that's a promise!" She quickly put on her sickly sweet smile and turned to face Sora again.

"Yes, she's here," she said, watching Sora's face light up, "The bad guys are holding her deep within the castle. And you, the hero, have to go save her. Sadly, there's a catch..."

Sora got so angry after these words that he was prepared to charge right at her. But Larxene beat him to it. In a matter of seconds, she rushed to him and passed through him like a ghost. But Sora was knocked down in the process. He toppled to the ground, slightly shaking it as he landed on the hard, marble floor. Something flew out of his pocket as he fell. A yellow, star-shaped something. It skidded across the floor, making a screeching noise as it sped along.

"I'M a bad guy do you have to go through me!" Larxene boomed, crossing her arms in triumph.

"Uhhh…" Sora moaned, rubbing his head as he picked himself up from the ground.

"Sora!" Goofy called, running towards his friend to see if he was all right.

"What's...that?" Sora asked, pointing to the charm on the floor, "Is that mine?"

"Tsk, tsk. You've been wearing it all this time, and you forgot? No, you couldn't have. The memory is engraved in your heart," Larxene said, approaching them more and more, "Now think, Sora. What oh what could it be? Who gave it to you?"

Sora's head was ready to tear apart. Thousands of thoughts filled his mind. They trailed along or zoomed around his mind, confusing him even more with every second. All too suddenly, he stopped thinking and forcing himself to remember. Syllables were filling his mind. Lonely syllables. Syllables that seemed to be worth nothing worth mentioning. But those syllables were the ones that would change the way he thought.

"Na…" he said, telling the world the syllables that were filling his mind, "Na…mi…?"

"That's right! Free the memory from your heart!" Larxene said.

"Nami…" Sora sighed, struggling with the last syllable. It was on the tip of his tongue… Suddenly, his eyes flashed.

"Naminé."

"Well, it's about time," Larxene said impatiently, "That's right...Naminé. She's the one that gave you the cheesy good luck charm. Not that you remembered."

"Naminé, eh? Now this non-existent person has a name too?" Akyra asked furiously.

"Non-existent? I'll be sure to tell her that when I'm finished with you. Who knows? Why, it may even break her fragile, little heart…"

"You wouldn't dare!" Sora menaced, standing next to the fuming Akyra.

"No surprise, seeing as you forgot her NAME. Talk about heartless!" Larxene said, crossing her arms and looking away.

Her eyes quickly fell upon the charm that was still glistening on the floor. The wheels in her head began to turn. Maybe she can use this to her advantage, seeing how she has them right where she wants them.

"It'd serve you right if I smashed this piece of junk!"

She dashed towards the charm at lightning speed but was still too slow, for Sora had skidded in that direction, picked up the charm and was even able to jump back before Larxene had reached him.

"Don't you touch it!" Sora ordered, clutching the charm to his heart, "Naminé gave me this. It's precious to me!"

"Precious? Spare me! Ten seconds ago you didn't even know what it was!"

* * *

Sora had emerged the victor from his battle against Larxene. She wasn't too tough for him. Most of the time she took in every hit he shot at her. What was peculiar about this battle was the fact that Larxene wasn't able to dodge any attacks by Sora but when he summoned his Akyra card, not only did she avoid it, she also attempted to take any whack at her that she was able to. When the battle was over and Sora's friends had returned to their original states, Akyra vigorously rubbed her arm. 

"Larxene hurts…" she complained.

"Hey, you're not half bad," Larxene admitted as she floated higher into the air, "Guess you really are a hero. A heartless hero!"

"Who asked you!" Sora boomed.

"Does it hurt 'cause it's true? Grow up, Sora!" she yelled, a furious look on her face, "If you're going to be a baby, then here… play with these. They're more cards made from your memories. Say "thank you" like a good boy. Ta-ta!"

She pulled out some cards from her back pocket and threw them into the air, expecting Sora to pick them up when they fell to the floor. With one last fake sweet smile, she vanished into thin air, leaving the team bewildered.

"Wait, Larxene! Where are you? Don't you dare hide from me! Show yourself!" Sora shrieked. It was no use. Larxene was gone.

"Sora, calm down! She's not coming back…" Jiminy shushed as they rushed towards Sora. He went silent. And when he goes silent after a bad encounter, you know he's pouting.

"Sora?" Goofy asked feebly, hoping to get a response out of him.

"I hate her…" he growled, "It's not fair that she's the one who made me remember... Naminé is too special for that."

"Aww…" Akyra whined, gritting her teeth with fury. This Naminé business annoyed her. Sora walked up to Akyra with a fair look after her comment and pointed his gloved index finger at her.

"Naminé's special, no matter WHAT YOU THINK!" he bellowed.

The three of them gasped when he yelled, surprised by his reaction. All in all, so was he. His face fell after watching her shocked reaction as he walked away, his head hanging in disappointment. Akyra realized it as well. They had both gone too far.

"Sora! Wait!" she yelled as she ran up to him. He picked up his head and faced her, an excessively saddened expression glooming on his face.

"Sora… You can't change my mind. There's nothing you can do that will make me think otherwise and that goes for me too…"

Sora still looked gloomy after her words. It was at that moment when Akyra realized that the truth could always save you. Instead of keeping it secret all the time, she realized that telling the truth would be best for them all. So… she didn't hold back. She told him how she, Donald and Goofy really felt.

"Yet… any decision you make, I'll be right by your side supporting it, because I have faith in you. We may not agree on some things, but that doesn't mean we can't stick together…"

"The same goes for me!" Goofy chuckled, taking his place beside Akyra.

"Me too! Me too!" Donald quacked.

"Of course, you guys! Always!" she said with a smile.

Sora gazed at them for a moment and smiled too. In fact, who couldn't smile when you see three goofy faces staring right at you?

His friends would help him save Naminé, right?

* * *

"Whew... Throwing the battle back there really wore me out," Larxene said as she entered the darkened room. She casually plopped herself down on a chair and sat crookedly, looking more interested in the white stain on her gloves than at what Axel had to say. 

"Throwing the battle? Looks to me like you plain old lost the battle… You're supposed to kill the girl, not pat her on the head," he said. Larxene jumped and glared at him.

"H-How dare you! You just don't appreciate the finer nuances of —"

"Axel is right. That was an ungainly performance, Larxene."

"Vexen!" she gasped.

Indeed it was true. Vexen had been in the room the whole time. He cocked a smile to Larxene and said, "Humbled by someone of such limited significance. You shame yourself and the Organization."

"Grr…" she growled. It was bad enough that she was already furious about losing to Sora, so this was only making it worse.

"Can we help you, Vexen? It's not very often we see you topside," Axel offered before Larxene could scream her lungs out.

"I came to lend a hand," he began, "I remain unconvinced of any potential in this "hero" you've been coddling. Perhaps an experiment would put my doubts to rest."

"I knew this would happen!" Larxene interrupted, "Everything's an experiment with you."

"I'm a scientist. Experimentation is what I do," he said as he glared at Larxene, who was back to scratching the stain on her glove.

"Whatever, Vexen. Do what you want. But cut the act. Testing Sora is just an excuse to test your little follower," Axel said.

"Follower? I'll have you know he's the product of much research!" Vexen argued.

"What he is is a toy," Larxene called from her chair.

"Hmph. I see I'm wasting my time…" he sighed.

Axel shrugged his shoulders and said, "Have your fun. But take this with you. A wild card to keep the game fresh. Now don't tell me I don't respect my elders."

Vexen easily caught the card Axel had just tossed him and smiled.

"I dare say I won't."

His eyes were filled with an evil gleam as he turned to face a corner. Someone was standing there, silent and still. Someone who had been listening to the whole conversation. Someone with teal eyes that poked through long, silver hair…

* * *

"Sora, slow down!" Donald huffed as he tried to keep up with Sora. 

"We don't have time! They've got Naminé. We have to rescue her!" he answered through breaths, speeding down the hallway at the speed of light.

"Sora… sure seems worked up… don'tcha think?" Goofy asked, jogging between Donald and Akyra.

"Can you blame him? After all this time, he finally remembers Naminé... only to find out she's being held prisoner!" Donald replied.

"Good point, Donald. If we heard the king was in danger, we'd be upset, too!" Goofy panted.

"Would you shut up about Naminé already?" Akyra said with attitude, glowering as she ran.

"Gawrsh, sorry about that, Akyra," Goofy apologized.

"Not your fault…" she answered, increasing her speed to catch up with Sora.

"Boy, she sure gets touchy when somebody mentions Naminé…" Donald quacked as he and Goofy trudged behind, huffing and puffing as they ran…

* * *

KHA: (sings) Akyra learned a lesson! Akyra learned a lesson!  
Akyra: Eh...  
Audience: I can only imagine what destruction is sure to come... (drinks garlic soda)  
Akyra: (steals ficcy notebook)  
KHA: NO! All my secrets are in there. (sob)  
Akyra: HAHAHA! (reads notebook)  
Roxas: NO! Not the ice cream!  
KHA: O.o 


	16. Under The Sea

KHA: Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I went to the dentist to fill in my cavities. O.o  
Akyra: What sugar can do to your teeth ish horrible...  
KHA: I have to go back tomorrow and fill the rest of my cavities. O.O Will the torture never end?  
Roxas: But sugar ish so sweet! How can it do such a horrible thing?  
KHA: I've been asking myself the same question... O.o  
Audience: Pain! YAY!  
Akyra: (continues reading ficcy journal) Ehehehe...

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. But I do own Akyra! And a couple of cavities that I wouldn't like to own... (sigh)

* * *

"Gawrsh, this looks like the bottom of the sea…" Goofy sighed in awe. 

He had a point. The new world really did look like the bottom of the sea. The ground was slightly inconsistent and had a certain shade of teal to it, making it seem as if an aqua coloured aura glowed around them. Reefs and coral dotted the surface and a lonely yellow starfish stood stuck on a boulder.

"Wait a second," Sora interjected, "If this is the bottom of the sea, then how can we breathe?"

"Hmm… Beats me!" Goofy said after a quick thought, "Maybe someone cast a spell on us?"

"It's just like breathing air…" Akyra sighed, taking in a huge breath.

"But it's not air. See? Someone's swimming this way!" Donald quacked, pointing to a large opening.

A girl with fiery red hair and a long, green fish tail came speeding in their direction, her hands fidgeting behind her back. The group guessed that she was a mermaid. But why was she so nervous? When she noticed the team watching her swim by, she came to a halt and rapidly swam up to them, her face dotted with worry.

"If anyone asks, you didn't see me!" she said, still shaking.

"What do you mean?" Akyra asked.

"Sorry, I don't have time to explain. Just promise you won't tell!" she begged as a sparkle began to emit from her twitchy hands behind her back.

"Hey, what's that sparkling thingy you got there?" Goofy asked curiously, dazzled by the tiny sparkle. It seems that anything sparkly can distract someone from a very important situation.

"Oh, nothing… nothing at all!" she spoke nervously, "Remember, you didn't see me!"

She darted off, swimming as fast as her slender fins can take her. There was something suspicious about this encounter and the gang was immediately investigating it.

"She was lying when she said that the sparkly thing she had was nothing…" Akyra said, pondering with the others.

"She's hiding something!" Sora concluded.

"I wonder what it was?" Donald wondered aloud.

Without speaking a word, each and every one of them knew what the other was thinking. Why not follow her and see what she was up to?

* * *

"WAK!" Donald hid behind Goofy, shivering and shuddering. 

Although this world was calm and peaceful, Donald kept getting déjà vu encounters from Halloween Town. This time around, instead of random ghosts popping out of nowhere… there were random fish popping out of nowhere. Nonetheless, Donald was surprised.

"Donald, it's just a fish…" Akyra sighed.

"Fish or no fish, it shouldn't sneak up on me like that!" he moaned.

"Oh, woe is me…" The voice sounded like it belonged to a very distressed Frenchman. Although the group's guess was close, it wasn't correct. The voice did belong to someone distressed… a distressed crab. He was so tiny that anyone could have missed him. Fortunately, Sora caught a glimpse of him and offered to help out… whatever the crab's problem was.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Everything's wrong!" he screeched, causing the group to leap back in surprise, "Someone stole the king's magic trident. Atlantica is defenceless! And to top it off, Princess Ariel has disappeared! King Triton's worried sick. He won't leave his chambers…"

"Princess Ariel is gone?" Akyra wondered aloud.

"Wait a sec… Didn't we just see Ariel?" Sora asked.

"Yep. But she didn't look real happy to see US!" Goofy pointed out, "Hey, wasn't she carrying something when we saw her?"

Sora huddled the group together so the crab wouldn't be able to hear their conversation.

"You don't think that was the trident?" he whispered.

"You know, maybe it was!" Jiminy responded.

"But that means Ariel stole it!" Akyra intervened.

"There must be some explanation…" he concluded, rustling some of Sora's hair. The group broke up their huddle and walked up to the crab, who was still distraught.

"Oh, Ariel! Where have you run off to this time? If anything happens to you... It's all my fault! Sebastian, you are the world's worst guardian! What if she ran away because of my nagging? King Triton will banish be forever!"

"He'll pop his shell if we tell him Ariel took the trident," Donald quacked.

"Guess we'll have to get to the bottom of this ourselves!" Goofy said heroically, marching off and motioning his hand for the others to follow suit.

* * *

"There she is!" Sora yelled, pointing to a hollow reef. A single boulder stood in the centre of the reef and who was sitting on it? None other than Ariel. 

"Quiet, Sora!" Akyra shushed, "Let's listen to what she has to say."

"This is all my fault," she moaned, burying her face in her hands, "I wish I'd never taken Daddy's trident. I should've known things would turn out this way…"

"She DID steal it!" Donald said in an oddly loud whisper.

"Pipe down!" Goofy hushed, "Somebody's coming."

Emerging from the shadows was a slightly chubby octopus woman with tentacles as black as ink and skin that glowed like an amethyst. Purple, that is. This woman seemed calm, yet assertive but the sinister smile on her face caused the group to not want to trust her.

"No need to worry, child. You did the right thing," she said, trying to comfort Ariel, "Why, I'm sure you'd do anything in the world to help your little friend. Poor Flounder has been swept away to the human world. That's no place for a little fish now, is it? Why, if we don't hurry, you might not have a friend to save..."

"No!" Ariel gasped in fear. She would never want anything bad to happen to her friend, Flounder.

"Besides, you're not GIVING me the trident, dear… just letting me borrow it for a bit. You can save Flounder! Lend me the trident, and I'll help you!" she explained in a persuasive tone. As the sea witch said this, the four eavesdropping friends exchanged worried glances.

"I don't trust her at all…" Sora whispered, listening in for more information.

"But...Daddy needs the trident to defend Atlantica," Ariel explained, "I need time to think, Ursula." Ursula's smile fell. She was clearly NOT enjoying the situation. But, she stayed clam and took one last chance to persuade Ariel.

"Well, it's all the same to me," she said in an irritated tone, "Just remember, your little friend is dodging fishhooks while you twiddle your fins. Well, you can come see me once you've made up your mind."

The sea witch swam away, regaining her evil smile as she swam along with the sea's current.

"What am I going to do?" Ariel complained, burying her face in her hands.

"Don't trust Ursula, that's for sure!" Sora remarked, standing up from his hiding place and approaching the worried mermaid.

"How long have you been listening?" she asked with a shocked expression.

"Oh, long enough…" he answered, crossing his arms.

"It doesn't matter, Sora's right! Don't ever trust that sea witch!" Akyra emphasized. She clearly did NOT want Ariel to trust Ursula.

"We can tell Ursula's up to no good. It's written all over her face," Donald added.

"Then we all agree!" she concluded, "The problem is, I don't have a clue where Flounder is. Ursula's the only one who can help."

"What about us?" Sora suggested, "Let's go talk to Ursula. You shouldn't have to do this by yourself."

"Really? You'll come with me?" Ariel asked, her face lighting up with joy. Sora nodded.

"You bet! We know how it feels to have friends in trouble. Let's get going!"

"Come! Ursula's home is this way!" she said excitedly, occasionally tugging at Donald's feathered arm, wanting them to move faster.

* * *

Ursula's home was kind of creepy. Her room held nothing more than mirrors, make-up, jewellery and other beauty products whereas the hall… that's a completely different story. Old kelp that resembled dried-up streamers hung from the ceiling and the floor was packed with little brown creatures, no bigger than a flower. Unlike what they had expected, Ursula greeted them into her home with arms wide open. 

"My, so many guests! Have you made up your mind, my dear?" Ariel's look sharpened.

"I'll do anything for Flounder. But I need proof I can trust you. You said we could save Flounder if I gave you the trident. Well, prove it!"

"But of course!" Ursula laughed in her cruel yet strangely irritating laugh, "See?"

Nobody noticed this the moment they entered the cave. Then again, maybe Ursula made him magically appear at that very moment. All they knew was that, struggling to free himself from Ursula, Flounder was floating behind her. He was a fairly tiny yellow fish with stripes that were the same shade of blue as Sora's eyes.

"Ariel!" he cried, still struggling.

"I knew something was fishy!" Donald charged, tapping his foot impatiently.

"There you have it," the sea with said in triumph, "If you want your precious Flounder back, give me the trident!"

Ariel felt stuck with this compromise. What could she do? Anything she decided would put someone in danger. After a long thought, she swam up to the sea witch and handed her the sparkling, golden trident.

"Ha ha!" Ursula laughed greedily after having snatched the trident from Ariel's hands, "Mine at last! Now I'm ruler of all the seas!"

"Let Flounder go!" Ariel shrieked with fury. "But of course! I'm feeling generous…" she said sweetly, moving aside. Flounder wasted no time and sped off towards Ariel, shaking and shivering in her arms.

"Which reminds me... You always wanted to see other worlds, didn't you?" Ursula said, glaring at the group with a smile, "Well, dear, I know just the world to send you to! Unfortunately, this will be a one-way trip!"

The moment the ground began to rumble, Sora whisked out his Keyblade and picked up the cards that had been his friends moments ago. Something about Ursula's voice hinted that he had to get rid of her. The ground rumbling and Ursula growing to being about sixty times his size also gave him fair hints. He glared up at the power-hungry queen, gritting his teeth in anger.

"The sea and all its denizens shall grovel before me!" she boomed.

* * *

"Please don't be mad, Ariel…" Flounder said, trying to comfort her after the battle, "Ursula tricked me." 

"Flounder, as long as you're safe, nothing else matters," she said, smiling and gently hugging her friend, "Now all we have to do is return the trident and everything will be okay."

"But what if the king finds out you're the one who took it in the first place?" Sora asked.

Ariel thought for a moment and said, "I'll be grounded for ages…"

"Ariel! Ariel! Where are you, girl? If you can hear me, please answer!" called out an anxious voice.

"It's Sebastian!" Ariel laughed, "He came all this way just to find me."

"Yep, and when he does, you're gonna get it!" Goofy said in a worried tone.

"Hey, I know! Why don't you just say Ursula stole the trident? And you got it back all by yourself! Then there's no way you'll get in trouble!" Sora explained, trying to find the best possible way to save their friend from being grounded.

"I just had the same idea!" she said, her smile turning serious, "But...I can't do that. I don't want to get in trouble, but I can't lie. Not about this. I know I haven't made the best decisions lately. It was a mistake to take the trident. But I made that mistake because I wanted to help you, Flounder. I'm proud of that. Blaming someone else would mean giving those feelings up. So, I'm going to tell the truth."

"You know…" Akyra said, turning to face Sora with a smile, "She's right, Sora! Honesty is the best policy."

The four of them laughed as they watched Sora's face turn beet red.

"Hey, I was just kidding! Great, now I'M the one in hot water!" he said, joining in on the laughter…

* * *

KHA: Quit reading my ficceh journal!  
Akyra: (reads) Huh? (gasp) HOW COULD YOU!  
KHA: Erm... I guess you got to that part. O.o AAH! (hides in the fridge)  
Akyra: (sob) Why? Why me?  
Audience: Ah, the angst! (eats ice cream)  
Roxas: ICE CREAM! (steals ice cream) 


	17. Riku Returns

KHA: This chappie was SUPPOSED to come yesterday but the fanficcy site decided to be mean again... (glares at fanficcy site)  
Akyra: (glares at fanficcy site)  
Roxas: (glares at fanficcy site)  
Audience: (glares at pasta dish)  
KHA: Erm... O.o Why are you glaring at the pasta dish?  
Audience: Because they're EBIL!  
Everyone: O.O

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. But Akyra ish MINE! And not yours! HAHA! No, wait! Come back! You didn't review! Please review... (sob)

* * *

He had been lost to them for so long yet their memories of him couldn't be any clearer. They lost him once… and when they had finally found him, he ended up slipping through their fingers once more. But, when Sora and Akyra marched quickly through the empty hallways of Castle Oblivion, they couldn't help but gasp. The one they once lost, the one they had been searching for… stood before them, blocking the entrance to the next staircase. 

"You… you're…" Sora stammered, hardly daring to believe it.

"Riku!" Akyra stifled, her eyes growing wide with shock.

The silver haired boy watched them with an angered smile as they scurried towards him. He didn't look any different. He still had his odd amount of silver hair hanging loosely over a pair of teal eyes. Yet, it wasn't this that should have been worth worrying about. It was his angered smile.

"What are YOU doing here?" Sora asked happily, practically jumping off the ground with glee. Instead of showing some merriment, Riku crossed his arms and spoke, his cold, cruel voice sending chills down their spines.

"Don't sound so happy to see me, Sora. Let me know if I'm getting in the way of something more important."

"What? That's not what we meant!" Akyra answered suddenly, hoping that this attitude fix was just a misunderstanding, "What we really meant was-"

"Spare me!" he hollered, his voice becoming darker and more cruel than normal, "I bet you'd all but forgotten about me."

"Are you CRAZY?" Akyra yelled.

"We came all this way because we were LOOKING for YOU!" Sora continued.

"But not anymore, right? Now it's Naminé this, Naminé that. You don't care about me any more than you care about how Naminé feels!" he boomed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora shouted back.

"Never even gave it a thought, did you?" he continued, "Just because you want to see Naminé doesn't mean it goes both ways."

"Very funny!" Sora said sarcastically.

"I'm not joking. Naminé doesn't even want to LOOK at you."

"Why not?" Sora gasped, stunned by his response. Could he have met Naminé?

"Ask your memories. That is, if you bothered to remember why Naminé left the islands..."

"Why? Did I do something? Is it my fault? Riku..." Sora sighed… growing increasingly confused with every second that passed. Riku was always so close to him. How could he do this?

"Go home, you two. I can take care of Naminé. Anyone who goes near her..." he began, as the clothes on his back began to take a dark shade of purple, the perfect color to match the thick darkness that had sprouted around him, "...goes through me!"

"What's your problem?" Sora yelled.

"We finally find each other and you do this!" Akyra screeched.

"Since when have you cared about me? Naminé's not the only one who's sick of you!" he menaced with his unusually nasty voice.

"Would you PLEASE shut up about Naminé already?" Akyra screeched, growing angry with Riku.

"Look who's talking! You can't even remember her! And you call yourself my friend?" he taunted, raising his sword.

"I couldn't care less about her! In fact, I think you're both mad for actually believing that she's in this castle. But I won't let you speak to Sora that way!" she screeched.

"How… How DARE you speak of Naminé that way!" Riku roared.

Over the past few days spent in Castle Oblivion, the subject regarding Naminé has always been a touchy one. The slightest thought of her could send Akyra on a rampage. But also, the slightest insult directed to her could set either Riku or Sora off. Which explains exactly what Riku did next. He quickly advanced on Akyra, not giving her enough time to summon her staff. Riku took his chance while she was off guard. He raised his sword high and brought it down on her with every last trace of strength and anger he had. But he never hit her, and the sound of metal clanking told him that his assault had just been deflected. Sora stood between them, struggling to keep Riku's sword away from the two teenagers. Sora had an angry expression on his face, one that he very rarely put on. He wasn't pouting like he normally does. He was fuming. Akyra, who had just come out of her shocked state, summoned her staff and positioned herself beside Sora, the both of them in their battle stances, angry looks painted all over their faces.

"No, Riku…. This time, it's gone too far!" Sora growled, readying his weapon for battle.

* * *

"Riku, come on. Wait up!" Sora yelled as he frantically ran up the staircase. Following their battle, Riku had run up the stairs like a coward, not uttering a single word to him. Sora followed him relentlessly but still ended up losing him. 

"Riku…" he sighed as the rest of the gang finally caught up to him.

"What's happened to him?" Akyra asked sadly, "I thought he had changed…"

"He sure was acting strange," Jiminy agreed, "It's almost as if the Heartless were controlling him again."

"No way!" Sora intervened, "Ansem got to him once, but Ansem's history. We saw to that."

"I wonder what's wrong with him…" Goofy muttered, feeling sorry for the two teenagers.

"Hold on... Isn't the king supposed to be with Riku? If something's happened to Riku, then the king might be in danger! We gotta help him!" Donald quacked loudly.

"Yeah…" Sora muttered sadly. The thoughts of Riku were still swirling in his head, and they were depressing him more and more.

"Sora…" Donald mumbled.

"Hey, Riku is still your friend, and that's no mistake!" Jiminy said.

"You sure about that, Jiminy?" Akyra asked, lifting her head heavily with disappointment.

"I know he said some awful things to you back there. But don't forget - we're in Castle Oblivion. People lose their memory here a little bit at a time. Riku's probably forgotten that he and you were friends. That's all."

"So it's not that he doesn't like us… he just forgot?" Sora asked.

"That'd be my guess," he explained, hopping between Sora and Akyra, "So instead of being sad, let's figure out a way to make Riku remember. It's not like the two of you to mope. Let's work together and get through this."

Akyra watched the little cricket, a smile forming on her face. He had a point.

"He's right, Sora…" she said with a grin, "Don't push your friends away."

"Yeah… okay," he said, picking his head up and smiling.

"No, no, NO!" Akyra yelled, stomping her foot in anger and causing the others to jump in surprise, "That's not what the Keyblade master should sound like!"

"Huh? Okay, how's this, then..." he said. He walked in front of the group, raised his Keyblade up high, put on his most brave look and spoke with the most triumphant voice he had. "I'll save Naminé, Riku, AND the king...and I'll do it blindfolded!"

"That's it! That's the spirit!" Jiminy cheered.

"Heartless? Hah! Forces of evil, do your worst!"

"Good! Now you're sounding heroic!" Akyra cheered, giving him a few pats on the back and encouraging him to do more, "I like it! I like it! Let's see the Heartless keep a straight face through THAT!"

"Boy, he sure knows how to get carried away..." Donald whispered to Goofy as he watched the crazy boy try to sound heroic and the crazy girl encourage him to look silly.

"Yep," he agreed, "that's our Sora!"

* * *

"What the… What are you supposed to be?" Riku asked. 

This kind of stuff always happened. He would be running down the basement hallway, he'd meet up with one of those black-robed people, probably fight one then be on his way. Only this time, it was slightly different. Standing on the other side of the hallway was… another Riku?

"Surprised? I guess you would be," he began, "I bet it's not every day you meet your twin. Too shocked to speak? This should come as a relief, then: I'm a replica of you that Vexen made."

"What, you mean a fake me?" Riku asked, playing the confused boy for a while.

"I didn't mean "fake"!" the Riku Replica barked, "Just because you're real doesn't mean you're better! We share the same body and the same talents. There is one easy way to tell us apart, though. Know what that is? Unlike you, I'm not afraid of anything."

"Are you calling me a coward?" Riku called, gritting his teeth with anger.

"You ARE a coward," he emphasized, "You're afraid of the dark! The darkness inside you scares you witless."

"Look, I-"

"But I'M different," he interrupted, "I embrace the darkness. I can make it do whatever I want. In other words... I can wipe the floor with you!"

Riku couldn't take it anymore. He gripped his sword tightly and charged at the replica, ready for battle.

* * *

"Hey, FAKE. I thought you were gonna wipe the floor with me," Riku said in a cocky tone of voice. Riku had easily won against his replica. And this guy thought he could wipe the floor with him? HA! 

"Go on, laugh," he growled, "I'm still new. I'll get stronger and stronger, just you wait. It won't be long before I surpass you. Next time we fight, you're finished!"

"Sorry, you missed your chance. I'm finishing you first, right here!" Riku sneered.

He whipped his sword in a dazzling way and charged at his replica, determined to slice through him and get rid of him once and for all. But the replica simply summoned a ball of dark energy. It didn't seem like much, yet Riku was knocked back and sent flying down the hall.

"Ha ha ha! It's nice to have darkness on my side," Riku Replica said in a spiteful voice, "How could you be scared of something so thrilling! You're missing out."

"Shut up!" Riku spat.

"So now the coward is playing tough guy. That's cute," Riku Replica said, turning his back on the real Riku, "See you next time, Real Thing. Try not to miss me."

"Come back here!" Riku bellowed, running after his fake, "I'll show you who's a coward. Punk." Riku may have insulted him but the replica was probably long gone before he could hear what he had said.

"I'm not a coward, you stupid fake…" he muttered to himself.

"Fake? Oh, I don't think that's the right word."

Riku didn't need to whirl around or be surprised by the voice. He knew exactly whom the voice belonged to. Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness.

"What are you saying? He's just a copy of me… he said as much himself," he said once Ansem had appeared before him.

"A copy, yes… or maybe a model. He is an example of what you should be. He accepts the darkness... just as you once accepted me. But now, you are afraid. Perhaps YOU are the one who is being fake," Ansem explained.

"Name one time I've been afraid of the darkness!" he hollered.

"In the world cards, you grappled desperately with the darkness. Desperation is a product of fear. You fight the darkness because it frightens you."

"Oh, I get it," Riku said furiously, "You think I'll stop fighting the darkness just to prove I'm not afraid of it. Nice try. But I'm gonna keep fighting!" Ansem shook his head in disagreement.

"Tsk, so stubborn. Then continue your fight, if you must…"he said, vanishing into thin air and leaving Riku alone once again, "Eventually, you will see. You cannot resist the dark."

* * *

KHA: Ooh... Riku cannot resist the dark! AH! (hides in the fridge)  
Audience: Must you empahsize every part of the story?  
KHA: Aw, Audience, why are you so emo? You remind us ofZexion...  
Riku: (screams like a sissy) (faints)  
Roxas: (watches Riku while eating ice cream)  
Akyra: (steals Roxas' ice cream)  
Roxas: GAH! (screams like a sissy) (faints)  
Akyra: Ha! That was so worth watching... 


	18. Never Land Sky

KHA: Two chappies in... 4 hours! Did I break a record? WOOHOO!  
Audience: (ish still glaring at the pasta dish)  
Akyra: You will all suffer! I have decided to change our diet to... eggplants!  
Roxas: NU! (faints)  
KHA: (screams like a sissy)  
Audience: (ish still glaring at the pasta dish) What did you say?  
Pasta Dish: (ish silent)  
Audience: You wanna take this outside?  
Pasta Dish: (ish silent)  
Audience: Oh... IT'S BEEN BROUGHT!  
Akyra: O.o

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts but Akyra is still mine. Yes, I do own the pasta dish. Mwahahaha! FEAR ME!

* * *

"Now where are we?" Sora asked, surveying his surroundings. 

Unlike the other worlds they had visited, this one was very plain and insipid. They stood in a fairly large wooden room. Nothing more, nothing less.

"The floor is kinda unsteady…" Goofy added, "And I can hear the ocean!"

"And for some reason, I have the burning desire to play 'Go Fish'…" Akyra added as well, crossing her arms.

"That's funny, Akyra, 'cause I feel like I wanna play 'Go Fish' too!" Goofy answered.

"The floor is unsteady and you can hear the ocean… That must mean we're inside a ship!" Donald concluded, "There is no possible explanation why you two want to play card games…"

"Then we should find a way out…" Sora said, "But which way do we go?"

The four of them stopped moving and turned their gaze to the roof. They usually did random things like this when they were deep in thought. The downside of this method, though, is the fact that they don't notice anything that might be a threat to them or dangerous. For example, take the tiny pixie that had just flown into the room. She fluttered around and made jingling noises yet nobody took notice. Unfortunately, this pixie had a bit of a temper. When she noticed that nobody was listening, she began to glow red and kicked Donald's beak furiously.

"WAK!" he screeched, jumping in his surprise and hiding behind Goofy.

"Who are you?" Sora asked, approaching the pixie. She smiled and made more jingles and tinkles. Sadly for her, the group didn't speak…… jingle language…

"Maybe she's trying to help us?" Jiminy suggested. At once, the pixie fluttered towards the tip of Sora's nose and nodded her head, agreeing with them.

"Looks like you're right!" Goofy cheered. The pixie wore a huge grin on her face. In a matter of seconds, she smoothed her tiny green dress, fluttered towards a door and motioned for them to follow her, leaving a trail of sparkling dust as she moved.

* * *

"Is it just me, or are all the rooms starting to look the same?" Sora asked. Although they had been walking around the ship for hours, every room they had entered and exited looked the same. An empty wooden room… 

"Maybe we're just goin' in circles?" Goofy asked, scratching his head.

"Some help SHE was," Donald grumbled, crossing his arms in disappointment. As soon as she heard that comment, the pixie flipped around and flew towards Donald, offended by him. She made a couple of angry jingle noises before kicking him in the beak… again.

"Aw, I think you might've ruffled her feathers, Donald," Akyra said. Donald glared at her.

"Stupid, good-for-nothing pixie…"

"Tinker Bell, what are you doing! You weren't supposed to bring the pirates WITH you!"

The group gasped. They were so busy watching Tinker Bell kick Donald that they had no idea someone else was in the room with them. A young, red-haired boy dressed entirely in green slowly approached the group, battle stance ready and dagger at hand.

"Stay back, pirates, or this will be the last fight you pick!" he said gallantly, swishing his dagger as if he wanted to scare them witless.

"Don't be so rude!" Donald quacked loudly, "We're not pirates! We're only here because... because...Um...why are we here, Sora?"

"How am I supposed to know, Donald?" he answered, "Akyra, what do you think?"

Akyra merely shrugged her shoulders and said, "No idea. Goofy?"

"Gawrsh, beats me…" he added.

The boy cocked an eyebrow as he watched the group talking. In fact, he thought they were the most clueless bunch of people and/or animals he ever met. At least now he had proof that they weren't pirates.

"Okay, okay, I get the picture," he said, "Sora, Donald, and Goofy, right? I guess pirates wouldn't get lost on their own ship. And you're dressed funny."

"There you go again!" Donald said angrily.

"Wait, so if you though we were pirates...This must be a pirate ship!" Sora said.

"That's right, he agreed, "You're trapped inside the notorious Captain Hook's vessel."

"Well, if we're trapped, that means you are, too!" Donald added.

"Me?" he asked innocently, "Don't be silly. No one can capture Peter Pan! I'm just lying low until it's time to make my move."

The group stared at Peter, their eyes wide with confusion. Peter sighed. They were _seriously_ clueless.

"You see," he continued, "The pirates kidnapped my friend Wendy. She's got to be somewhere on this ship. I didn't expect there to be so many watchmen, though. I sent Tink to look for a way around...but all she found was you."

"Thanks a bunch…" Akyra said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I have an idea!" Sora spoke up, "Let's work together… at least until we get above deck."

Peter Pan brought his finger to his mouth and thought for a moment. It wasn't a bad idea…

"Well, why not? Of course, I could save Wendy myself, if I wanted to. But you guys look like you'd be stuck without me," he said.

"Don't you have _any_ manners?" Donald quacked angrily, following Peter out of the room.

* * *

"There she is!" Peter Pan yelled with joy. The next bland, colourless room they entered had some color for a change. A young girl wearing a blue nightdress and her blonde hair tied with a bow stood in the centre, looking quite nervous. Though, her anxiety was quickly dissolved when she saw Peter flying towards her. 

"Peter? Peter Pan?" she said with joy.

"Wendy, are you okay?" he asked, "I've come to rescue you with my assistants! C'mon, let's get off this ship and go explore Never Land! We'll never grow up!"

"Listen, Peter," Wendy said with a saddened look, "There's something I've got to tell you. I want to go home to London."

Peter was shocked. How could she want to go back to London?

"What are you talking about? Stay here in Never Land, and you can be a kid forever. Every day will be an adventure! If you go back to London, you'll stop being a kid. You'll grow up and we'll never see each other again!"

"I know, Peter. But...I still want to go home," she confessed.

"I came to rescue you!" Peter continued, ignoring what Wendy had to say, "And you don't care if you ever see me again!"

"No, you don't understand!" she pleaded.

"Suit yourself!" he barked, "And while you're at it, rescue yourself! I'm leaving."

Although they were kind of expecting it from him, they had never seen Peter so furious. He was glowing red with anger as he flew at high speed towards the ceiling and escaped through a whole in the netting.

"Hey!" Akyra screeched, "Where do you think you're…." Her voice trailed off.

"There he goes…" Donald whispered.

"Talk about rude…" Goofy said.

"I know, not very thoughtful, is he?" Sora agreed, "Well, what do we do now?"

"Hey, I've got an idea!" Goofy exclaimed, his face lighting up, "Why don't we think of something after we get to the deck?"

"What kind of idea is that?" Donald asked him, thinking that that was the strangest idea he had ever heard, "But you do have a point..."

"Well, there's still trouble waiting outside. Wendy, you stay here. We'll try to create a distraction," Sora explained.

"All right, I understand…" she said softly as she watched the group run out of the room, hoping that everything will turn out fine…

* * *

"Whew! We finally made it out…" Donald sighed with relief. 

After a gruelling fight with swarms of Heartless below deck, the group had finally successfully made it to their destination. Of course, being the clueless bunch they were, they completely neglected any signs of danger. I guess they believed that the deck was safe. How wrong they were.

"There you are, you rascals!" came a voice.

Emerging from the top of the deck was a fairly scrawny looking pirate. His clothes matched a shade of red and a tall feather poked out of his pirate hat. He had a hook for a left hand and looked so clumsy that the group wouldn't be surprised if he tripped on his own jacket. This must've been the Captain Hook Peter told them about.

"I'll teach you to stow away on Captain Hook's vessel!" he said furiously, waving a hook at them, "Friends of Peter Pan, I'll wager!"

"Are we his friends?" Donald asked the group.

"He sure didn't seem to think so…" Akyra pouted.

"Yeah, the way he took off like that. He even ditched Wendy," Sora agreed.

"I'm not finished talking yet! How dare you ignore me and plot behind my back! Uncivilized brats! You're in cahoots with Peter Pan, no mistake!" he assumed.

"If you say so…" Sora said, shrugging his shoulders, "Either way, you're gonna let us off this ship."

"And Wendy's coming with us!" Goofy added.

"Think again, you scallywags! Hook's one step ahead of you!"

At first, the group didn't really understand what Hook was trying to say. That is, until they saw what Hook had done when they weren't looking. Wendy was tied with ropes and knots, and stood on the edge of a plank, looking as if the slightest movement could send her falling into the sea.

"Wendy!" Goofy gasped.

"Any trouble, and Wendy swims with the sharks!" Hook threatened.

"You wouldn't!" Akyra cried through gritted teeth.

"Believe me, I'd rather not…" he sighed angrily, "After all, I need Wendy to lure out that blasted Peter Pan!"

"Then I'll just have to take the bait, you codfish!"

In a matter of seconds, Peter had dived from the sky, swept Wendy off the plank and flew to the highest peak of the ship, holding her the entire time.

"Miss me?" he taunted. Captain Hook didn't take this as a joke. He was fuming with rage as Peter floated down to the deck.

"Insolent pup! Today is the day you pay for taking my hand!" he cried, swinging his hook at the flying boy like a madman. Yet, it was no use. Peter simply dodged them by hovering in the air, ascending and descending when necessary. As he flew towards the group of fighters readying their weapons and cards, Captain Hook turned to face them with such an angry facial expression, it looked almost comical.

"You've made a fool of me for the last time, Pan! I'll skewer the lot of you!" he roared.

* * *

"Thanks, Peter, we owe you one," Sora said once Hook had been disposed of. They hadn't exactly gotten rid of him. They just sent him to visit his good friend, the crocodile. 

"Well, at first I thought I'd let you handle the situation... But I couldn't just stand by when things got out of hand. It looks like I might've underestimated you, though. You did well!" he said, shaking everyone's hand violently before turning to face Wendy, "Look, Wendy, about London... Are you sure you won't change your mind?"

"Peter, I'm sorry…" she apologized, "But I really want to go home."

Peter's face fell as he muttered, "I was afraid of that... Everyone grows up, and grownups always forget. First you'll forget what it feels like to be a kid, and then you'll forget about me…"

"How can you say such a thing, Peter?" Wendy gasped, "I'll never forget about you!"

"Sure, that's what you think now," he began, "But when you try to remember me, the memories will be gone. You'll forget… little by little, one memory at a time. Once you're grown up, there won't be a single memory left."

"Don't say that…" Sora muttered, "Memories… even important ones… don't come back to us whenever we want them to. But that doesn't mean the memories are gone. It's more like...like they're sleeping. So when the right thing comes along and wakes the memory up, we can remember it. The memories engraved in our hearts never go away. I'm sure of it."

Donald, Akyra and Goofy smiled. Although Sora always said inspirational and heroic things before leaving some worlds, they were blown away every time. At least it gave them a little hope that things will turn out okay, that their forgotten memories weren't lost forever.

"Never, huh? It's funny. Grownups shouldn't be able to see me anymore...But I have a feeling you guys just might be different…" Peter said with a grin. He picked up Wendy and began floating towards the sky, still watching the four friends he was leaving behind. "Let's go, Wendy. London is waiting. Goodbye, everyone. I'll be waiting to see what you look like all grown up!"

Peter Pan, still holding Wendy tightly, jumped off the deck and sailed off into the night. Yet, before the group had a chance to leave, a jingling sound interrupted them.

"What's the matter, Tink?" Sora asked. The little pixie fluttered around in circles, leaving some sparkling dust to float in the air. With that, she darted off after Peter and Wendy.

"What was that for?" Goofy asked. Once the dust had subsided, a battle card, the kind Sora used, hung in midair and bore the photograph of Tinker Bell herself.

"This must be a gift from Peter," Sora said, picking up the card and stuffing it in his pocket.

"You know," Donald said, a smile forming on his face, "Maybe he's not such a thoughtless guy after all."

* * *

KHA: lol, The 'Go Fish' part was for all my readers. Those who read 'An Extra Heart' understand what I'm rambling about. XD  
Everyone: (ish still fainted)  
KHA: O.o  
Akyra: Eggplant diet!  
KHA: O.O (faints)  
Akyra: HAHA! (tries to escape) Huh?  
KHA: You're binded here by your contract to "Forgotten"  
Akyra: Stupid contract...  
Audience: BRING IT ON, PASTA DISH! 


	19. Something You Can Do

KHA: Early updatage! This ish my treat to you wonderful readers.  
Audience: (has pasta dish in chains) What's the occasion?  
KHA: It's my birthday! YA! Party time! (confetti falls from the sky)  
Sora: YAY! (grabs party hat)  
Everyone: (pours in)  
KHA: We've got a sugar bowl right here it's... HEY! Who stole the sugar?  
Roxas: (shifty eyes) (runs off)  
KHA: AFTER HIM! My sugar... (sob)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts and I don't own the song "Sanctuary" either. Akyra ish always mine. So ish the sugar, you sugar-napper! (runs after Roxas)

* * *

"Can't take a hint, can you? Leave, Sora," Riku snarled. 

"I'm not leaving until I rescue you and Naminé!" Sora answered. They had exited the previous world and were making their way to the next set of staircases. And who was there to stop their passage? Why, none other than Riku.

"Hah! What makes you think I need rescuing?" he asked, crossing his arms with a sinister smile.

"Then think of Kairi. She wants you to come home, too. Don't you remember?" Sora asked hopefully.

"You're the one forgetting," he interrupted, "I told YOU to take care of her. At Kingdom Hearts… when we closed the door to darkness. Give it up, Sora. I'm not going back to the islands, and you're not changing my mind."

"It's not just Kairi! It's me, Sora and YOU as well!" Akyra intervened.

"And the rest?" Riku asked her, cocking an eyebrow.

"Erm… what rest?" she asked.

"Come on, Akyra, quit it. Selphie, Tidus and Wakka. You remember them," Sora answered.

"Who, who and…. erm… who?" she asked again, turning her head sideways. Had they gone mad? First they remember Naminé and now three new people were on the islands with them? Was Akyra lost in a trance her whole childhood or has Castle Oblivion driven her friends over the edge?

"Ha! You expect me to remember them when you can't do so yourself?" Riku taunted.

"I'm not falling for it!" she said, readying her staff.

"Not only do you not remember these three… You've completely forgotten about Naminé…" he sneered, "Tsk, Akyra, who knew you were such a horrible friend?"

Her eyes flickered, a dangerous look in them. You know, had Riku done this before they entered Castle Oblivion, Akyra would have hung her head in sadness. Now, she felt a flaming anger well up inside of her that can only be put out if she hurts Riku. Take a few good whacks at him with her staff; push him off a bridge, anything… Revenge would be sweet.

"Is making up stories the ONLY way you can get rid of me? You coward… Can't even scratch us… Right, Sora?" she mocked, turning to face him.

Instead of agreeing with her like she hoped he would do, Sora looked up at her with a mix of sadness and confusion. She couldn't understand why. Had she done something wrong?

"Akyra… You don't remember Selphie, Tidus and Wakka? Seriously?" he asked. Akyra shook her head.

_This is insane, _she thought, _he can't possibly remember three people like that…can he?_

"Poor Akyra has forgotten almost everyone! How long will it be before you forget me?" Riku jeered, "And what about you, Sora? Do you even remember what they all look like?"

"Of course I..." he started but wasn't able to finish. He remembered them… that's for sure… but what they looked like? That was a different story.

"Don't feel bad, you two. That's what this castle does to you if you stay too long. You forget all the useless stuff and remember for the first time what really matters. I remembered it, Sora. The one thing most important to me: Naminé…. I won't leave until I save her. Nothing else matters!"

Sora and Akyra looked at each other, too lost for words. This is mad. Riku is against them; Akyra is forgetting everything and not remembering and Sora… the one person he was looking for… was being held prisoner somewhere. Naminé needed saving. And Riku wishes to save her as well. What if he and Sora worked together to save Naminé? If only he remembered…

"Hey, Riku!" he called, "Mind if I jog your memory?"

Riku gazed down at him, the same sinister smile on his face.

"Go ahead and try!"

* * *

"Grr… Too bad, Sora. Nothing's coming back to me. Maybe you should try hitting a little harder!" Riku called once they had finished battling. 

"No, that's enough! C'mon, Riku..." Sora pleaded, "Let's quit fighting and go save Naminé together!"

"Together? HA! That is so like you. You're always trying to worm your way into my heart!" he barked.

"Whoa, whoa, time out!" Sora interrupted, growing furious, "When did I ever do that?"

Riku backed away, his speed becoming increasingly faster.

"Hmph, you probably forgot. It never mattered to you how I felt!" Before any of them had a chance to answer, Riku had run off again. But Sora didn't care. He was going to get through to him whether he liked it or not.

"I won't let you push me away!"

* * *

Axel's footsteps echoed on the hard marble flooring. For once, he was out of that darkened room with the crystal orb where all the others used to gather when they had worthy information. Now, he was in a room that looked practically identical to the halls of Castle Oblivion. White walls, white floors, white columns… Brightness seemed to shine from everywhere. He steadily walked up to a small table with one chair, a greedy smile on his face. He wasn't alone in the room. On the contrary, a young girl about Sora's age occupied the single chair. She toyed with a pencil in her hand and smoothed out her white dress, her head hanging so low that the longest bangs of her thin, blonde hair covered her whole face as well as her pretty blue eyes, which were as dark as sapphires. She seemed very nervous about something. 

"Heh heh... I know exactly how you feel," Axel said, his voice echoing through the silent room, "Don't get your hopes up. Nobodies can't be somebodies. But think, Naminé. I'm sure there's SOMETHING you could do..."

* * *

"Why... I don't get it. We both want the same thing. We both want to help Naminé. So why are we fighting?" Sora asked himself once they had lost Riku, "I mean, Riku and I have bumped heads over stuff in the past..." 

"THAT'S for sure!" Donald and Akyra said at the exact same time.

"Well, the more you fight the closer you must be," Goofy said.

"Yeah, I know. But Riku doesn't seem to feel that way..." Sora sighed.

"Have a little faith, Sora!" Donald quacked, "You guys used to be inseparable, right? You, Riku, and Kai...Kai...And, um, what's-her-name there…"

He motioned Akyra to give him the name he was looking for.

"Kai… Kai… Aw, it's on the tip of my tongue… Kai… lina?" she guessed.

"This is awful. Our memories are fading fast. We'd better hurry, Sora. I'm sure you and Riku can talk things out," Jiminy said.

"You're probably right," Sora agreed with a smile, "After all, the four of us were never apart! Me, Riku, Akyra..."

Akyra grinned brightly. At least Sora wasn't sulking about Riku anymore. And at least he remembered their home and their friendship.

"…and Naminé," he finished.

Akyra's grin was quick to fall when he said this. Naminé was driving them absolutely insane during their stay in Castle Oblivion. And Sora and Riku were stupid enough to actually believe she was real? This made Akyra laugh. She couldn't wait until they get to the top of the castle and defeat all those scary people in black robes. She couldn't wait to see the looks on Sora and Riku's faces when they realize that Naminé is just a figment of their imagination. When that time comes, she'll laugh her head off. But one small thing bothered her...

If Naminé really is a figment of their imaginations, then how can they both be thinking about the same person?

* * *

--KHA: Karaoke time! Come Akyra, let's do a duet!  
(Sanctuary starts)  
KHA: Where fears and lies... melt awayyyyyayyyy...  
Akyra: Music will tie... What's left of me!  
KHA/Akyra: What's left of me... nowwwww...  
Audience: My ears! They're bleeding!  
KHA: If you hate this party then LEAVE!  
Audience: Fine, but I'm taking my gift with me!  
KHA: Yes... the jar of... eggplants... O.o  
Audience: (sob)  
KHA: (huggles Audience) Luff!-- 


	20. Love Is Like Friendship

KHA: (ish making pasta)  
Roxas: What's with the pasta? O.o  
KHA: I'm trying to to save the Audience from the evil pasta dish.  
Roxas: By making pasta? O.o  
KHA: DON'T QUESTION MY WAYS! (slops pasta on pasta dish)  
Audience: O.O (ish staring at pasta dish) That did it! They evilness of the pasta dish!  
KHA: O.o The Audience are beginning to scare me...

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. But I do own... this old muffin! XD Meh...

* * *

Sora's last world card held something more on the normal side. They had arrived at the foot of an enormous castle. The building seemed kind of split since half of it seemed to be made of giant cooper tubes and the other half was made of marble stone and elegant white bricks. All the extensions that popped out of the castle reminded the group of Castle Oblivion; they looked practically identical. One difference, though, was the entryway. The door to this castle had a purple hue with large silver handles. 

"I hear voices! I wonder who it is," Goofy thought.

"Shhh! I think something's wrong!" Jiminy hushed.

The group crouched behind the railings and listened intently to the voices, occasionally popping their heads out to get a better look at the owners of the voices. A young woman wearing a blue peasant's dress seemed to be angry with someone resembling a beast. Disregarding his appearances, he seemed normal enough.

"But Belle, I don't understand! I came her to rescue you!" the beast pleaded.

"I didn't ask you to come," the woman named Belle replied, "And it doesn't matter anyway. I'm not going back with you, so you're wasting your time."

"Have you lost your mind? How can you stay here with that witch?"

"I've nothing more to say. Now leave, before Maleficent finds you."

Belle crossed her arms and walked away in a huff, fuming over their conversation.

"Belle...why?" the beast called but it was no use. She simply ignored him and continued walking.

"We should help him…" Akyra sighed. The group nodded in agreement and approached the heartbroken beast.

"I'm not sure what's going on, but...is everything okay?" Sora asked.

"Don't feel bad. There must be a reason she said those things," Donald added.

"Keep your sympathy," the beast growled, "No one could ever care for a beast like me."

Still sulking, the beast walked away. The group couldn't help but feel pity for him.

"Sure wish there was somethin' we could do for him," Goofy sighed.

* * *

The door with silver handles led them into a room that could have been used as a ballroom. It could have easily held at least a hundred people and the golden winding staircase only added to the elegance. It was here where the group found where Belle had run off to. 

"Who are you? Did Maleficent kidnap you, too?" she asked them.

"Uh...not exactly. It's a long story," Sora answered, "Hey, wait a sec… So, you've been kidnapped? You don't want to be here?"

"No, I don't, she answered, "That witch Maleficent forced me to come here. I have no one to talk to. Books are all I have to ease my loneliness. And then there's him...Oh, I've missed him so much…"

"You mean the Beast?" Goofy asked, "Then why were you so mean to him before?"

"Yeah. You really hurt his feelings," Sora added, trying to make a point.

"You don't understand. I can't let him see how I really feel."

"Uh… okay then…" Akyra answered, a little confused, "Why not?"

"It's just that…" Belle picked up her head and began surveying the area frantically. She heard footsteps. "Oh no, she's coming! Hide, quickly! There's no time to explain. Hide yourselves! Now!"

The gang scrambled to find hiding places within the room but it wasn't that easy. In the end, Goofy hid behind a potted plant, Donald hid in a golden vase, Akyra hid under the staircase and Sora hid behind a bronze column. They had hidden themselves perfectly in the nick of time for Maleficent came striding down the staircase, wearing a sinister grin. She resembled a witch so much that anyone who would lay their eyes on her for the first time would assume she was a witch. She wore a tattered black robe and held a vile, green staff. An evil air seemed to float around her.

"Oh... Good day, Maleficent. What brings you here?" Belle asked in a tone that didn't sound too happy to see her.

"He was here… yes? He risked his life to come and save you. Why do you reject him?" Maleficent asked sweetly.

"I won't ask for his help," Belle choked.

"Oh, and why is that?"

"You know very well why. I'm not going to fall into your trap!" Belle replied angrily.

"Then I have no choice but to make you BEG for his help!" Maleficent cackled evilly and grabbed Belle's arm. Sensing danger, the four friends leapt out of their hiding places, readying their weapons. But they were too late. Maleficent and Belle had already vanished through a portal of darkness.

"No! She got away!" Akyra cried.

"What should we do?" Donald asked in a panicked tone.

"Help her, of course! What else?" Sora answered as they bolted up the stairs and into the next room, anxiously searching for Belle.

* * *

"What are you waiting for? Call to him!" Maleficent spat. 

"No! I won't let you hurt him!" Belle responded. The witch began to grow impatient and grinded her teeth in anger.

"Then I shall make you scream! The fool will come running the moment he hears your cries."

"Enough!"

Maleficent jerked her head slightly, angry that someone interrupted her. The group managed to find their way across the castle to her. How? They followed the shadows.

"The Beast isn't the only one you have to deal with," Sora threatened.

"Be gone, boy. You have no business here," she hollered, "Unless, of course, you wish to join in the screaming! Yes... When that brute hears your shrieks of terror, he'll come right to me!"

"Don't trouble yourself, Maleficent. I'm here."

Although the team hadn't noticed it before, Beast was following them as they searched for Maleficent. Although they just met, Beast seemed to think he could trust them.

"You came! No! You mustn't! I told you to leave this place! Leave me alone! I never want to see your face again!" Belle shrieked.

Jiminy clamped his hands to his face in utter shock and said, "What an awful thing to say!"

Beast looked away, trying to block out the hurtful words she said. Yet, no matter how much she may hate him, he felt he had to tell her the truth.

"All right. If that's how you feel, I understand. My hideous form is punishment for being selfish and unable to love. Transformed into a monster, loved by no one, I only became more selfish.

"And then I met you, Belle. You're the only person who accepted me. Little by little, you warmed my cold, selfish heart. The memories of our days together are my most precious. I won't cast them aside. So I'm sorry, but I can't leave you here...even if you hate me for it. Consider it my final selfish act."

Belle looked away, trying to suppress her emotions.

"But… why?" she muttered.

"Well, well. I never dreamed such ugliness could hide so beautiful a heart," Maleficent said, "This calls for a change of plan. Beast, I shall claim your heart instead of Belle's!"

"No! Please!" Belle cried.

Maleficent was conjuring a ball of dark energy with a few strokes of her staff. She cackled loudly, almost to the point of screeching as she sent the energy blast towards Beast. He braced himself with his great arms but it was useless. He didn't need to take precautions since the attack never reached him. Suspicious, he opened one eye to see what was going on.

"BELLE!" he bellowed. Belle had run in front of him and taken the energy blast for his sake. Beast watched with horror as her heart exited her body and she sank in a pool of darkness.

"Well, so much for the change of plan…" Maleficent sneered, "Belle's heart it is. It seems her cold words spoke little of her true feelings. Ha ha ha, she loves you, Beast! I can feel it shining in her heart!"

"You fiend! Release Belle's heart at once!" Beast ordered. She looked down on him with a sinister smile and shook her head before stepping into a portal of darkness and vanishing from the area.

"Where is she?" the beast muttered under his breath.

"She went that way!" Sora called, pointing to the next hallway, "That's the way the shadows fled."

"What are you doing here?" Beast grunted.

"No time to talk! We gotta go after them right away!" Donald quacked loudly.

"You'd… help me?" he asked.

"You bet!" Akyra answered with a grin, "After what you just said, we GOTTA help you!"

"Let's go get Belle's heart back!" Sora cried, running towards the narrow hallway, watching his friends as they followed him.

* * *

"You've done well to make it this far, Beast," Maleficent said once they had found her, "As your reward, I'll tell you why Belle rejected you. My dark magic requires hearts of utmost beauty. Belle was perfect. Deep in her heart, her love for you shone with uncommon radiance. But she guessed my plans. By denying her love for you, she put her heart beyond my reach." 

"But she saved me! She protected me!" Beast retorted.

"She couldn't hide how she really felt..." Sora sighed, feeling sorry for Belle.

"I've heard enough! Release her heart, Maleficent! If you don't..."

"Hm hm hm…" Maleficent interrupted, pretending she wasn't listening to the Beast.

"Witch! Do not try my patience!"

Maleficent looked up and glared at them as she said, "Don't you realize why I am telling you all this? Did you think it was out of kindness? I did it to erase your doubts. Now your heart is beginning to shine with love for Belle. The perfect fuel for my dark magic! I shall have your heart, too, monster!"

Sora gritted his teeth with fury as he whipped out his Keyblade, preparing himself to catch his three friends' cards once their transformation was finished.

"Not if we stop you!" he menaced, pointing his Keyblade to her.

Maleficent stared at him with a sickly sweet smile, as if he had no idea what he was getting himself into. Green smoke began to emit from her staff and it didn't take long before her sinister smile sprouted fangs. She was using the darkness and her vile magic to change her form. In a matter of seconds she had turned into a gigantic black and green dragon, spitting sizzling green flames from her snout.

"You dare to challenge me? Pitiful fools!"

* * *

Once Maleficent had been destroyed, Belle's heart was released from captivity and she was back to normal once again. 

"Belle… Thank goodness…" the Beast whispered, taking her hand, "Why did you do that for me?"

"I did it because… I wasn't able to hide my feelings…"

"Of course!" Akyra exclaimed, "Love is like friendship."

"How is that?" Goofy asked, scratching his head.

"You would do anything for your true friends, even if it means hurting yourself," she continued, "The same goes for love. But there is a slight difference to them. You can have many friends but you can only love one person. Choosing that one person to love among everyone else is what makes it so special."

"Wow, I never thought I'd hear love advice from you, Akyra," Sora said, cocking an eyebrow.

"I know!" she agreed, shrugging her shoulders, "But this world taught me a lesson. Sounds impossible, but it still did."

Belle smiled at the two teenagers, then turned to face Beast.

"Please forgive me," she said, "I had to be cruel to you. But I guess I couldn't hide my true feelings…"

"I'm the one who should apologize. For just a moment, I doubted your love. I never want to remember those feelings of despair," Beast sighed.

"Then don't. Let's replace the sad memories with happier ones… starting now."

"Belle…"

"There they go with the mushy stuff, a-hyuck!" Goofy chuckled.

"Yeah. We'd better give them some privacy," Sora agreed.

"Good idea! Let's keep moving," Donald quacked.

The four of them left the castle and made their way towards the exit door that would bring them back to Castle Oblivion. They had been walking in silence for a couple of minutes until Goofy pointed something out.

"Say, Donald," he asked, "Did you ever tell Daisy you loved her?"

"Uhhh…" Donald hesitated as he slowed down. There was a guilty look on his face.

"You mean you DIDN'T?" Akyra yelled, surprising him.

"Donald, how could you…" Sora sighed in disappointment.

"I… I… I… Oh, fooie…" he quacked.

"Aw, Donald, we're just joking around with you!" Goofy said.

"Yeah, you'll tell her that you love her when you see her again…" Akyra reassured him.

"And we'll make sure of it!" Sora yelled heroically, raising his Keyblade into the air. The four of them burst into laughter as they each passed through the exit door, one following the other…

* * *

KHA: FINALLY! The last world ish FINISHED! Now I can concentrate on more COM specific story-ness. : )  
Akyra: NU! (faints)  
KHA: I don't know when I'm supposed to go on vacation. So, next week I'll be updating about two chapters per day to make up for any lost time. I ish keeping my promise to you readers! XD  
Audience: Woop... when's the destruction?  
KHA: No idea... But I swear, if anyone hasn't played COM other than myself (sob), the stuff that happens in the next world they visit will come as a mild heart-attack. I LOVE YOU AXEL!  
Axel: Get away from me! (screams like a sissy) 


	21. Memories From The Other Side

KHA: Mwah! The beginning of the two chapters a day week! FEAR IT!  
Akyra: EEK! (faints)  
KHA: O.o I didn't mean it...  
Audience: The return of... GARLIC SODA!  
KHA: (sigh)  
Roxas: (ish spiking his hair with hair gel)  
Akyra: O.o  
Roxas: My hair MUST be spikier that Sora's!  
KHA: (eye twitch) Hair gel? H-h-h-h-h-h-h-hair gel? AAH! (dives for hair gel)

Disclaimer: (eye twitch) I don't own... Kingdom Hearts... Akyra's mine... and... hair gel... hair gel...

* * *

Since Sora had no more world cards, the group was forced to continue their journey in Castle Oblivion by climbing countless staircases mindlessly. For some reason, the appearance of the castle from the outside didn't seem THAT big. Or maybe it did and they forgot about it. Just like the rest of their memories. The picture would be clear until they climbed the last stair of a staircase, then it would warp and disappear like a cloud of smoke. 

"Where's Riku? I thought he'd be here waiting for us," Donald quacked.

"Guess he finally got fighting out of his system," Goofy remarked.

"I sure hope so…" Sora sighed, grabbing the railings of the next staircase.

* * *

Vexen stepped into a darkened room. It was, once again, the same dark room everyone else gathered in if they had information worth sharing. But there was slight difference to the room now. The crystal orb emitting the shapes of four walking figures was still there but it wasn't the only source of light anymore. The entire room seemed a tad brighter, bright enough to see a smirk forming on Vexen's face as he saw the figures of Axel and Larxene. 

"Now what, Vexen?" Larxene asked sharply, "Looks like your little toy isn't taking orders anymore."

"Now Larxene... Shouldn't we give Vexen the benefit of the doubt? Riku could be hiding as part of some elaborate plan to lure Sora deeper into the castle," Axel suggested.

"Oh, of course!" Larxene said with fake enthusiasm, "Why didn't I see it before? Terribly sorry, Vexie. I guess I'm just used to you and your research being more funny than formidable."

"Hold your tongue!" Vexen spat.

"Aww, are you sulking? Ha ha, you are so half-baked."

"You're hardly one to talk, you conniving little —"

"That will do!"

Larxene and Vexen stopped arguing and turned their heads to where the new voice was coming from so fast they could have been victims of whiplash.

"Marluxia!" Vexen called as the stranger stepped into the room.

Although Marluxia was probably the bottom rung of the ladder, he had great power in Castle Oblivion. Everyone listened to his instructions and did their best to stay on his good side. By everyone, I mean Larxene and Axel. Vexen, as well as Zexion and Lexaeus, weren't too fond of him. Marluxia had deep eyes and long, spiked brown hair. He looked no older than Larxene.

"Your project has failed, Vexen. Do not disappoint us again," he said.

"Disappoint YOU?" Vexen argued, "You presume too much, No. 11. I am No. 4, and I will not stand for your snide remarks!"

"Yes, you will," Marluxia spat, "This castle and the girl Naminé have been entrusted to ME. Defy me, and you defy the Organization."

"Unless I'm mistaken, treason is a CAPITAL crime..." Larxene added in with a grin. She and Marluxia were aligned so she was always sure to get the benefit of the doubt.

"This is absurd!" Vexen pouted.

"In the name of the Organization, I pronounce your project a failure. This lapse must be reported to the Superior."

"No…" he said in horror, "Please, don't! I beg of you! Leave him out of this!"

Marluxia shifted his gaze and thought for a moment. Vexen was putty in his hands now. How can he use him to his advantage?

"I will, under one condition."

"What condition?" Vexen pleaded.

"You must eliminate Sora personally," Marluxia said calmly.

"Eliminate him!"

"And Akyra as well."

"BOTH?" Vexen cried.

"You refuse?" Marluxia asked simply.

"No… I mean… but… Why would you want that?"

"Just do it!"

Vexen wore an evil glare on his face. But there was nothing he could do. Marluxia was the keeper of the castle and Vexen was not allowed to defy him. Gritting his teeth in anger, he summoned a portal of darkness and stepped through it, leaving them to complete his assigned task.

"He'll really do it, you know," Axel said, approaching a young, teenage girl who was sitting in the corner, "He's got no choice."

"Neither do we…" Marluxia sighed.

"You really think Vexen can eliminate both little brats?" Larxene asked sarcastically.

"No, I don't expect it," Marluxia answered, "But the girl MUST go. She's been here far too long."

"Goodie. You can take care of that…" Larxene muttered.

"Are you sulking because you couldn't get rid of two teenagers, Larxene?" Axel asked sweetly.

"Shut up! You never fought them, you coward!" she spat.

"Cease your babbling!" Marluxia ordered, "If we can't eliminate the girl in battle, we'll just have to seep into her mind and break her from inside."

As soon as he said this, the blonde, teenage girl gasped and raised her head. He couldn't be serious, could he?

"Taking some lessons from Zexion lately?" Axel asked.

"Hardly. You may not see it but this battle against those two is a lot simpler than it seems…"

Marluxia slowly paced towards the young girl in the corner, who lowered her head in fear, hiding her dark sapphire eyes behind her long, blonde bangs.

"What to do?" he asked sweetly, "Your hero is soon to be wiped from existence. But he made a promise to you, didn't he? Isn't that right, Naminé?"

She slowly shut her eyes and turned away, wishing he weren't speaking with her.

"… Yes…" Naminé muttered.

* * *

"The tenth floor already... We've come a long way…" Donald sighed. 

"And we've lost ten floors' worth of memories," Jiminy added in a panicked tone, "Sora, it's not too late. We should turn back."

"No, I can't do that," Sora answered firmly, "That would be breaking my promise."

"Promise? What promise is that?" Akyra asked, slightly confused.

"When we were little," Sora began, "I made a promise to Naminé. I told her I'd always keep here safe, no matter what. But I didn't remember until I started forgetting everything else. I can't believe I forgot something that important! But I can still make up for it now. From now on, I'm keeping my promise."

"Okay, Sora. We understand," Jiminy said happily, tugging onto Sora's hair as the group advanced.

Akyra stared at Sora for a long time. She couldn't believe her ears. Was he really saying all this nonsense? And did he really believe it?

_You know, Sora, you're really starting to tick me off…_ she thought.

At first, she thought it would be funny to see his reaction when he figured out that Naminé wasn't real. But now… that happiness seemed to have faded, along with the rest of her memories. Akyra watched with a hurt look as her best friend, the one who grew up with her, was pacing down the hallway with a huge grin. He actually did believe that there was a Naminé; he actually did believe that she was their friend and he actually did believe he made a promise to her.

"I said I had faith in you, Sora," she whispered to herself, "I said I'd support any decision you make. But seriously…" Her sad look quickly changed into a glare as she formed a strong fist with her right hand. "How do you expect me to support this?"

Sora, who noticed Akyra wasn't with them, spun around and called, "Hey, Akyra, is something wrong?"

She was quickly snapped out of her dream-like state at the sound of his voice. Slowly but surely, she walked towards him with a blank expression. He didn't seem to notice because the cheerful grin on his face never fell.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she whispered to herself, following her three friends to the next flight of staircases.

* * *

Another empty hallway. What else was new? Well, there was the fact that a man dressed in a black robe was waiting for them at the end of the hallway. The four of them darted towards him, glowering. A man in a black robe only meant that he was another member of that weird association. 

"Who are you?" Sora called.

"That's no way to greet a stranger, Sora," the tall man answered, "I am Vexen. I've come to collect your debt."

"Gawrsh, do you owe him something?" Goofy asked.

"Of course not!"

"Oh, but you do. You owe me for reuniting you with your former friend," Vexen hinted.

"Former friend?" Sora asked, his eyes growing wide with shock, "You don't mean…"

"Yes. I am the one who brought Riku to you."

"You must be the one who's been controlling him!" Akyra concluded, "What have you done with him?"

Vexen smiled a pitifully evil smile and summoned his weapon. The room suddenly seemed much colder than before.

"I see no need to tell you. Why trouble in your final moments?"

* * *

"Splendid! As expected, you don't die so easily," Vexen said after a quick yet brutal battle. The group managed to pull through and emerge victorious from the battle. 

"As if we'd ever lose to you!" Sora yelled, tying to make a point.

"You'll yet have your chance," Vexen explained, "As we fought, I delved deep into your memory... and look what I found. This is a card crafted from memories locked in the other side of your heart. If you want to fight me for real, then step into the world within this card!"

Vexen summoned a card in a plume of darkness and tossed it to Sora, who easily caught it. He grinned evilly at the group and vanished, leaving them with their confused thoughts.

"Come back!" Donald quacked loudly, running around in circles where Vexen once stood. Sora, on the other hand, looked at the world card intently. It resembled every other card he owned but it still seemed as if he had never seen it before.

"Other side?" he asked himself, "What's he talking about?"

* * *

"Is it just me, or has Vexen finally lost it?" Larxene asked in her usual, apathetic tone of voice, "Now he's done something REALLY rash...What now, Axel? The show's over if Sora finds out about the other side." 

Axel thought quickly, not letting any time for this problem to grow. "If he just passes through without catching on, we can patch things up later. But if not..."

"Let Naminé handle this," Marluxia commanded, "In the meantime, Axel, you know what to do."

"No, I don't," he answered, cocking an eyebrow, "Maybe you could spell it out for me."

"Rid us of our traitor."

"Done," he said simply, walking towards the exit of the room, "There's no taking that order back later."

* * *

The four friends stood in front of the door that would bring them to other worlds. They were always eager to see what the next world had in store for them but this time… they were just worried. 

"A card made of memories from the other side of your heart...I wonder what it does?" Jiminy thought out loud.

"Only one way to find out. Besides, it's the only card we have left," Sora concluded, raising the card up high in front of the door. A familiar bright light engulfed them as the door opened, opening up a pathway for them to an unknown world.

* * *

KHA: Rid them of their traitor... Ooooh... What will happen next? You''l have to wait. HAHA!  
Akyra: What is it with you and hair gel?  
KHA: Read my profile. O.o Not explaining it.  
Roxas: It's finished!  
Akyra: Roxas... you dyed your hair pink.  
Roxas: Yeah, doesn't it look sassy? XD  
Everyone: O.o 


	22. Twilight Town

KHA: Sorry about not updating yesterday like I promised. My computer conked out on me. You know, two chapters a day doesn't sound that great to me anymore... O.o  
Akyra: (sob)  
Roxas: O.o  
Akyra: (sob sob sobbity sob) (sniffle)  
KHA: Yeah... To all of my readers who are Sora/Akyra pairing fans... You'll hate me after this chapter...  
Roxas: You didn't!  
KHA: I did...

Disclaimer: Why don't you understand that I don't own Kingdom Hearts! If I did, I wouldn't be here! It'd be off creating Kingdom Hearts 3! XD

* * *

"Gawrsh... Where are we, Sora?" Goofy asked him. 

Sora shrugged his shoulders. This didn't make sense. Usually they visited worlds from Sora's memories. But this world seemed slightly different. Not that it was unusual. In fact, it was a perfectly quaint little town with countless train stations and monorails. A flawless, golden sun was slowly setting behind a huge clock tower, showering the town with a twilight glow. Yet, the gang felt out of place.

"Hmm… I dunno… I've never been here," Sora answered, surveying the area.

"But that can't be right! Up until now we've only been to places in Sora's memory," Jiminy said.

"Maybe so, but I definitely don't remember this," he answered.

"That doesn't make sense. We visit the worlds we've already been to yet we have no memory of ever being there," Donald pointed out, "Maybe we visited this town together but we can't remember it. What makes it so different from the other worlds?"

"The feeling's there…" Akyra sighed, "The other worlds gave us a feeling of return, as if we'd already been there. But there is no feeling in this world. It's just… different."

"Maybe we forgot the feeling as well. You know it's been a long time since we were in a world card," Goofy said.

"This is terrible. Our memories are practically gone!" Jiminy cried.

"We'll be okay," Sora said calmly, "See, look at this..."

He buried his hand in his pocket, searching for something. He pulled out a long key chain and attached to it was a star-shaped charm. It looked a lot like a yellow paupu fruit and its smooth surface sparkled as the golden sunrays hit it.

"Naminé's good luck charm!" Goofy exclaimed, watching the charm as it slowly twirled. Sora gazed warmly at it.

"There's a special memory that goes with this. One night, when Naminé and I were little, there was this meteor shower. Naminé started crying. She said, "What if a shooting star hits the island?" So I said, "If a shooting star comes this way, I'll hit it right back into outer space!" I was swinging this toy sword around the whole time. Naminé just smiled and said "Thanks." And then she gave me this."

"That's really special!" Goofy said in awe.

_O__h please… What next?_ Akyra thought to herself.

"Naminé said she had it ever since she was a baby," Sora continued.

"And she gave it to you? Wow..." Donald sighed.

"Yeah. So I promised her... "From now on, I'll bring you good luck. I'll keep you safe." I really let her down..."

"Aw, don't say that Sora! You're going through an entire castle just to save her! I don't think you let her down…" Goofy said cheerfully, trying to lift his spirits.

"Come on! Let's find Vexen," Donald said as he and Goofy proceeded through a tunnel to explore the town. Before catching up to them, Sora decided to take one last look at his charm. It really was a beautiful thing. And what makes it even more special is the unforgettable promise that goes with it…

"Would you stop fiddling with that thing?" Akyra asked crossly. Sora was snapped out of his trance and looked up at her.

"Aw, it's not just a 'thing', Akyra. It's special…" he said as he placed the charm back into his pocket.

"Sure, Sora I believe you," she said sarcastically.

"Stop joking around! It's precious to me, just like Naminé…"

"A piece of scrap? Precious? You have GOT to be kidding me…"

Akyra was really laying it on thick, but she couldn't care less. She kept her thought s bottled up for way too long. It's time for Sora to hear the other side of the story.

"Why don't you remember Naminé yet?" he asked sharply.

"Why should I? Couldn't care less…" she answered, slowly walking away.

"Don't you dare walk away on Naminé!" he shouted.

Akyra jumped back in surprise by the sound of his voice. Who knew he would get so moody when it came to Naminé? Maybe it was time to press his buttons.

"Don't walk out on her?" Akyra asked sweetly, taking a couple of steps forward, "Sorry about that. I already am!"

Sora sprinted forward and halted in front of Akyra, causing her to trip on her feet.

"We've gone far enough in this castle and we've forgotten plenty of stuff. I remember Naminé, why can't you?"

"Probably because she's not as precious as you think!"

"She was dear to both of us! But you're turning your back on her when she needs you the most! Is that how you thank her?"

"Thank her? FOR WHAT? What did she ever do, other than brainwash you and Riku into obsessive lunatics?"

"I'm an obsessive lunatic?"

"You've been acting like one! All you and Riku do is fight over her!"

"SHE WAS YOUR FRIEND!"

"Yes, Sora, she was… In _your_ world! But not in mine..."

Sora gazed down at her, not daring to believe what was happening. He had once thought that the both of them wanted to rescue Naminé together in the hopes of Riku joining them in their plight to save her. He guessed he should have seen it coming. Akyra never did show any signs of remembering Naminé. But knowing that she was thinking these things all this time… it felt like a part of him had died. Now, if he wanted to save Naminé… he truly was alone.

"I don't think you know what's most precious to you…" he said.

Without even looking at her, he spinned around and trotted off to join Donald and Goofy. She watched him walk away and decided to wait a bit before joining up with them. After all that, he supported Naminé more than ever. He supported a non-existent figment of his own imagination more than ever.

"Gosh, Sora… You're really stubborn sometimes…" she said to herself as she paced down the street, trying to eliminate the distance that separated her from her friends.

* * *

The group walked in utter silence as they approached a fairly large building, almost the size of the clock tower itself. It seemed to be abandoned yet it looked absolutely lovely. It was a mansion fit for royalty. "What's the matter, Sora?" Goofy asked kindly, noticing the strange look on Sora's face. 

"I feel kind of funny. I'm sure I don't know this place, but it's starting to feel real familiar..." he explained.

"Then you must've been here before," Donald implied.

"That's just it. I never have," he answered.

"Maybe it's like with Naminé. You forgot other stuff, so now you remember this place," Goofy said.

"No… it's different," Sora said, shaking his head, "With Naminé, the memories of us together sort of came drifting back piece by piece. But here, there are no memories. Everything feels familiar, that's all."

"Does it, now?"

The group knew all too well whom that voice belonged to. After all, they DID just meet him a few minutes ago and followed him into this town.

"A question, then, Sora..." Vexen asked as he stepped out of a portal of darkness, "Which is more real to you: your memories of Naminé, or the familiarity you feel here?"

"Naminé, of course!" he answered at once, "Whatever I feel here is just some trick of yours!"

"Ha ha ha..." Vexen chuckled, watching the group intently, "The memory's wiles are cruel. In its silence, we forget. And in its perversion, it binds our hearts firmly."

"I don't have time for your riddles!" Sora shrieked furiously. "

Then recall that this place was made from another side of your memory. Yes, the other side of your heart knows this place. The other side remembers…"

"You're wrong!" Sora roared as his friends behind him began to glow, "I don't know this place!"

Vexen sighed calmly and gazed at the teenage boy, disappointed by his ignorance.

"If you remain bound by the chains of memory, and refuse to believe your heart... then you may as well throw your heart away. You're no Keyblade master, no master of anything — just a slave to twisted memories. Just like my Riku. You're not fit to exist."

"YOUR Riku?" Sora raged, capturing the cards of his friends as they floated through the air, "You're so full of it! YOU'RE the one who changed Riku, aren't you? Every word you've said is a lie! I'd never throw away my heart! I'm gonna take you down and save Riku and Naminé. THAT'S what's in my heart!"

* * *

"Urrgh... Such strength, even at the mercy of your memory..." 

Vexen winced with pain as he tried to pick himself up. He had lost spectacularly to Sora and was badly injured in the process.

"You ARE dangerous! You must be exterminated!"

"Fine, whatever! Just put Riku back the way he was!" Sora interrupted.

"Put him back?" Vexen hissed, looking as if he was about to burst with laughter, "Fool of a boy! Even now you understand nothing. The Riku you speak of has but one fate — to sink into the emptiness of darkness. And you will share that fate, Sora! If you continue to seek the girl Naminé, the shackles will tighten... You'll lose your heart and become Marluxia's pawn!"

"Marluxia? Who's that, and what do they have to do with Nami—"

They didn't have enough time to even blink when it happened. Although when it did happen, all they could do was blink. While Sora was speaking, a loud slicing sound was heard and Vexen's eyes quickly widened as he clutched his chest, gasping for air. He fell to his knees, still gasping and gagging as he did everything he could to avoid falling on the ground. Pacing slowly behind him, catching one of his chakrams as it spinned in the air, was Axel.

"Axel!" Sora cried.

"Hey, Sora!" he said happily as if he were greeting an old friend, "Sorry to cut in right when he was getting to the juicy bits."

"Axel… wh… why...?" Vexen whimpered in pain.

"You sure love to talk," Axel said, "It's about time you shut up — forever."

"No… Don't do it...!" Vexen pleaded.

"We're nobodies, Vexen," Axel explained sharply, "We've got no one to be — but we still "are." So look on the bright side. You're off the hook. Now you can be nothing instead of just being nobody."

"M-Mercy, Axel! I don't want to...go yet..."

Axel twirled one of his chakrams in his hand and looked at Vexen without any expression.

"NOW you can tell me I don't respect my elders."

He grabbed onto his weapon and sliced it through Vexen, watching with glee as the mad scientist fell to the ground. His body dissolved into little particles of darkness before vanishing completely. Sora, Akyra, Donald and Goofy watched with shock, letting the tension from what had just happened sink in.

"What the…" Sora mumbled, his eyes still wide with shock.

"What ARE you people?" Akyra screeched. Axel picked up his head and gazed at the four of them, emotionless.

"Wish I knew the answer to that myself…" he said.

* * *

"Is something troubling you, Lexaeus?" Zexion asked softly. He was calm and collected as he watched his fellow member pace around the room looking very nervous. 

"Vexen is no more," he answered.

"Yes, his scent is gone. It was Axel. You know, it's deplorable... Agents of the Organization striking each other down…" he sighed.

"The bigger problem is Sora," Lexaeus explained, "His strength exceeds Vexen's, and yet surely Naminé has subverted him by now. It's only a matter of time before he ends up Marluxia's puppet."

"So what do you propose? Shall we destroy Sora before Marluxia secures him?"

"That won't be necessary. If Marluxia is to hold the light, then we will hold the dark," Lexaeus said proudly.

"Riku…" Zexion sighed, turning his gaze to the empty, drippy hallway. Little did he know that, not too far away, Riku was slowly making his way through the castle.

"Just one card left. If I get through this, can I finally rid myself of the dark?" Riku asked himself.

* * *

KHA: You knew it was coming... No no, don't look at me like that! You even read my ficcy journal so you actually SAW it coming! No, stop pouting... stop pouting... stop pouting...  
Akyra: (pouts)  
Mob of Sora/Akyra pairing fans: (prepares torches)  
KHA: What are you doing? O.o AAH! (runs away) (screams like a sissy)  
Audience: Finally! Some entertainement! (eats popcorn) Popcorn, Roxas?  
Roxas: No ice cream? (faints) 


	23. Lexaeus's End

KHA: (reads frantic reviews from last chapter) Who knew there were so many S/A pairing fans?  
Akyra: (sob)  
KHA: Anyways, this is the beginning of a three chapter, one character bonanza! This chappie's entirely devoted to Riku!  
Riku Fangirls: YAY!  
KHA: Next chappie's Sora! Well... mostly Sora. O.o And the chappie after that ish Akyra.  
Akyra: (sob)  
KHA: Oh, quit sobbing! You've had worse fates...

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. But guess what I do own? YOUR SOUL! Mwahahaha!

* * *

Riku slowed down a bit. He had probably been running down that hallway for eons. He should have slowed down ages ago but something inside him kept the adrenaline pumping. Someone was waiting for him. At the end of which hallway? He didn't know. But someone awaited him. Riku squinted. The end of the hallway and the entrance to the staircases came in view. But someone, the same someone mentioned earlier, was waiting for him. Riku skidded to a halt, raised his nose and sniffed lightly. Something smelled different. 

"That scent... You're another 'nobody'!" he shouted. The person who stood before him chuckled and brushed his gloved hand through his short brown hair. Another man in a black robe, no doubt. Although he was strange to Riku, he was still all too familiar to the castle.

"You've done well to make it this far, Riku," said Lexaeus, "Your reputation is well deserved. But to be scared of the darkness... What a waste."

"I'm… I'm not scared!" Riku retorted.

"I can see that you are," he answered briskly yet calmly, "You have the potential to control it. Cast away the fear that weakens you. Unbind your heart, and take hold of the darkness within."

"And if I refuse?" Riku asked. Lexaeus' calm grin faded as he scowled at Riku, fumes of darkness surrounding his right hand.

"Then you end here," he roared, "Light, darkness, and all!"

The fumes of darkness scampered around and compressed together to form a ball of dark energy entirely controlled by Lexaeus. He lazily sent it blasting at Riku, who was knocked down by the unexpected blow.

"Uh…" Riku groaned as he tried to kneel up with all his strength. He whipped out his sword, growling with hatred.

"See the power of darkness!" Lexaeus cried, "I, Lexaeus, will not yield to a frail-hearted craven! Now, end your resistance, and let the darkness in!"

* * *

Lexaeus panted heavily as he kneeled to the ground, clutching his chest just like Vexen once had. But, unlike him, he wore a sinister smile on his face, as if he had lured Riku into a nasty trap. 

"Such... Such power!" he cried in amusement.

"What's wrong...Lexaeus... Is that all...darkness can do?" Riku panted a reply.

"Well...It seems...I am beaten..." he said softly, reaching his arm out to Riku, "But the Organization shall triumph! I may perish, but all the darkness within me will billow forth and devour you!"

Although Lexaeus had been eliminated and was fading away, that didn't mean that his strength had been eliminated as well. He grinned evilly and, summoning the last of his strength before taking his final breath, he sent another orb of dark energy at Riku, who was once again knocked back. Unlike the last mass of energy, Riku wasn't able to free himself from this one. It was as if the darkness was pulling him down, drowning him as it once did. But this time, he couldn't change.

He was trapped.

"What the… What... what happened? Where am I…?" Riku whispered to himself.

"I can see... I can see clearly!" Riku was too stunned to make out whom the voice belonged to. But it was someone familiar, no doubt.

"Lexaeus?" Riku asked.

"Riku… I can see your heart…"

He noticed something strange about the darkness engulfing him. Ordinarily, anyone would think that darkness was darkness, no doubt about that. But Riku, on the other hand, was able to distinguish the owner of the voice just by the darkness surrounding him.

"No, it can't be..." he muttered, "Darkness this foul could only belong to one person..."

"That's it, remember me... Let me drift into your heart..."

"Ansem!" he cried.

"You called my name, Riku... You're thinking about me... You're afraid of the darkness I command," Ansem's voice said softly, "Good... The more you think of me, the closer my return draws. And when I awaken..."

In the blink of an eye, Ansem appeared before him, more evil and more sinister looking than ever before.

"Your heart will be mine!" he roared.

"Riku, fight! Don't let Ansem take you!"

A new voice had appeared in the picture. What is it with all these voices? Yet Riku knew exactly whom this squeaky voice belonged to. And he was ecstatically pleased to hear it.

"Your Majesty!" Riku called.

The darkness surrounding him soon dissolved and he didn't feel it tugging his heart anymore. He was free. The King had momentarily appeared in a spark of light, breaking the chains of dark that bound him and stopping Ansem from taking control of his heart.

"Meddlesome king!" Ansem bellowed, his voice echoing through the brightly lit hallway of Castle Oblivion. Hang on… where did Ansem and Mickey go? Riku sprinted about, searching for the two. But they had completely disappeared. No… they couldn't have. Riku still felt Ansem's presence in his heart. But it seemed weaker than usual.

"The king... protected me?" Riku asked himself, still slightly stunned, "Your Majesty, where are you? Please answer! You're with me...aren't you...?"

* * *

Zexion scurried around the room, looking very nervous. It is not often you see Zexion nervous. Usually, the ones he fools to do his dirty tricks are the ones scurrying around the room in worry. Why, he paced around so fast that he neglected to notice Axel walk into the room. 

"First Vexen, and now Lexaeus is gone as well... What's to become of the Organization?" he asked himself.

"Naminé's performing a couple of tricks of her own," Axel said, "Gee, I wonder who's next?"

"Maybe you," Zexion spat.

"Me?" Axel asked innocently, "Naah. I already took my pounding from Sora. He thinks I'm done for good. I don't plan on doing a repeat performance anytime soon. No, I think Larxene's next in line to go."

"You think Sora will win," Zexion began, "Because anyone who beats you is unbeatable is that it?"

"That's the idea," Axel said, nodding and cocking an eyebrow, "Marluxia plotted to use Sora against the Organization... so it's fitting Sora should be his downfall."

"Then… we won't be needing Riku anymore."

"Good luck disposing of him. You want to take on someone who wasted Lexaeus?"

Zexion grinned evilly at Axel, hardly believing that, after all this time, he still didn't understand how he gets things done.

"That's not how I do things," he responded softly, "Tell me, did you get the data on Riku's home?"

* * *

"Huh?" Riku asked himself, taking a deep breath, "The air has changed. A scent is starting to seep in… slowly…" 

"Bravo, Riku…"

Riku whirled around, glaring evilly at the sight of the intruder. It was Zexion, or as Riku would call him, another black robed person that needs to be dealt with.

"I'm impressed by your ability to identify darkness."

"Explain yourself!" he yelled.

"You just identified Akyra's heart! She and Sora are… oh… about fifteen floors higher than us? With your ability to detect darkness that accurately, who knows what more you can do?" Zexion said calmly.

"Akyra… and… and Sora? They're here?" Riku asked, almost jumping.

"Would you like to see them? Or should I say, can you face them?"

Riku had a confused expression on his face. Face him? What did he mean by that?

"What are you talking about?" he hollered.

"Darkness and Ansem's shadow nest within your heart," Zexion explained, "Aren't you ashamed to face Sora in that state?"

"What…"

"Sora's fate is to battle the darkness. As the hero of light, he must oppose hosts of the dark - in other words, you. If you don't believe me... then you had better see the truth for yourself."

Zexion's eyes flickered as he flipped a world card out of his pocket. He lazily sent it flying to Riku, who caught it with ease. If Riku did know what that card possessed, he probably would have fainted from shock. Which is why he gasped at the sight of the picture on the card. He thought he would never see that place again.

"This card! This is our…" he whispered.

"Yes, your home."

* * *

KHA: Yes, I know... Some things have been altered, some events were supposed to come later... But I have to alter the story a bit so it could make sense.  
Audience: (prepares sporks)  
KHA: O.O Erm... You know I never did play COM?  
Audience: (growl)  
KHA: O.o (hides)  
Akyra: (eats cookie)  
Roxas: MINE! (steals cookie) 


	24. Some Tricks Up Your Sleeve

KHA: WHOOT! I finally did the two-chapter-a-day thing. Who would've thought? XD  
Akyra: (silent)  
Roxas: Oh great... Past the sobbing stage she ish now in the silence stage. What comes after that?  
KHA: I think it's the whimpering stage but I'm not sure... O.o  
Akyra: (whimper)  
KHA: Woop! I was right! XD

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. But I do own Akyra... HA!

* * *

Axel stepped out of his portal of darkness, staring at the crowd in the room unblinking. There wasn't exactly a huge crowd in the room. Just Larxene, Marluxia and Naminé, still hanging her head low. She never seemed to want to pick it up and look around for a change. Maybe she was frightened of them. No matter, Axel still found the room a little too crowded, even with Vexen gone. 

"Nice work, Axel. Good riddance to that blabbermouth," Larxene praised, flinging herself onto a chair and toying with her glove.

"Marluxia," he began, "you used Vexen to test Sora's strength, right?"

"Not just Sora's. Yours too, Axel," Larxene answered for him, "We weren't sure if you had it in you to take out a fellow member of the Organization. Well, I guess you did. You can join the big leagues now. With the three of us, taking over the Organization will be child's play!"

"I see…" he mumbled, "And that's where Sora comes in, right?"

"Right," she said with a grin, waving her hand in the teenager's direction, "He wants to see Naminé, so we give him what he wants."

"Rejoice, Naminé," said Marluxia as he approached the terrified girl, "The hero you've longed for is nearly here!"

Naminé stroked a piece of her hair behind her ear but it still slipped and took its rightful place in front of her eyes. She was too frightened to do anything sudden.

"I'm... I'm very happy," she said softly.

"Are you, now?" Larxene asked sweetly as she stood up and advanced on her, "Well, in your fits of happiness, try not to do anything to hurt Sora's feelings. Am I clear?"

"Yes." She said simply.

"All you need do is layer the memories, one by one, and bring his heart closer," Marluxia explained kindly as he glared at Larxene, thinking she was the one who terrified Naminé to begin with. Larxene rolled her eyes and stepped through a portal of darkness. The other two slid past Naminé and followed her, hoping that she wasn't going to bring them anywhere pointless. It wasn't long before Naminé sat completely alone in her high tower. For once she raised her head without fear but there was still a look of dread in her eyes.

"Sora... Even if you come for me… what then?"

* * *

There had never been more tension during their walk down the hallway of Castle Oblivion. Even Donald and Goofy, who hadn't been there when it happened, felt the pressure on their shoulders like a load of bricks. Usually silence meant they had nothing to say. Now silence meant they had too much to say. 

Sora and Akyra hadn't talked to each other since their little dispute moments ago. Was it because they were both too stubborn to apologize? Or was it the fact that they never had the chance to talk to each other since they walked so far apart? Nobody knew. All Donald and Goofy did was walk between the two teenagers, exchanging worried expressions and hoping an opportunity for them to talk to each other would come along. As if someone had answered their prayers, the group came to an abrupt stop. Riku stood waiting for them at the end of the hall once again. The perfect occasion! Both Sora and Akyra wanted Riku to stop acting so coldly towards them. Maybe this was a good opportunity for the two to actually exchange words.

"Enough, Sora!" Riku cried, "You'll just hurt Naminé if you go any further."

"What, you still want to fight us?" Sora asked, "Vexen's gone… you're free!"

"Free? I'm protecting Naminé from you because it's what MY heart tells me to do. I promised her... I promised Naminé I'd keep her safe!" Riku explained. Sora stared at his friend, a confused look on his face. All this seemed oddly familiar to him.

"You... did?" he asked curiously.

"There was a meteor shower one night when she and I were little... Naminé got scared and said, 'What if a shooting star hits the islands?' So I told her, 'If a shooting star comes this way, I'll protect you.' And then —"

"You made a promise!" Sora interrupted, "And you were waving a toy sword!"

Donald, Goofy and Akyra looked at each other, puzzled. Could it be? Riku wore an astonished look on his face as he gazed at him.

"Y-Yeah... How do you know about that?" he stammered.

"But... that was MY promise! On the night of the meteor shower, I said I'd protect her!" Sora yelled.

"Liar!" Riku boomed, glowering menacingly, "It was just me and her!"

"Oh yeah? Then how come she gave ME her good luck charm?"

If it were possible, Riku seemed more shocked than before. Sora rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a long chain with her star-shaped lucky charm attached to it. It's brightness and color went perfectly well with the castle's radiance. Sora gazed at it fondly and wore a triumphant smirk, proud of himself to have put Riku in his place. Or so he thought…

"But I… that's… Oh, I know what you're trying to pull!" he shouted.

"Huh?"

"That's a fake!" Riku concluded, "I've got the real one right here!"

He pulled something out of his pocket as he said this, something star-shaped and shiny. The moment Sora laid eyes on it, he was sure he would drop his own charm and let it shatter into a million pieces. The object Riku was holding up was yellow and had the shape of a star. It's brightness and color went perfectly well with the castle's radiance. In fact, it looked like Sora's charm. A LOT like Sora's charm. He didn't want to believe it at first but he couldn't exactly deny the truth. Riku owned a good luck charm identical to his.

"What... TWO of them!" Sora screeched.

"I'll teach YOU to make stuff up!" Riku snarled, whipping out his sword and charging at Sora, who readied his Keyblade to block the attack.

* * *

"Riku!" Sora cried. 

He did this every time. After Sora would win a battle against him, Riku would take off at such a speed that it would take a miracle for Sora to catch up with him. Yet this time something was slightly different. As Riku ran off, something sparkled from his pocket and fell to the ground with a soft crash. He continued running, not stopping to pick it up.

"This is... Naminé's good luck charm, isn't it?" Donald asked as Sora picked up the charm.

"It doesn't make sense," Akyra said, gazing at the charm in his hands, "If you have one, how could he have one as well?"

Sora shrugged his shoulders. "It's just like the one she gave me. How do you think he got this?"

Donald and Goofy exchanged smiles. At least they were talking to each other again. But something caught their attention. Riku's charm was released from Sora's hand and began floating in the air like magic. In a quick, bright flash of light, the charm was replaced by something else. Sora gazed at it fondly as it sank back into his palm.

"It turned into a card…" he said.

* * *

"You're all he's got left," Axel said as if he were trying to convince somebody, "If you don't stop this, no one will." 

"But... it's too late now," Naminé sighed, turning her head away.

"You can fool Marluxia but you can't fool me," Axel said, " I know you've had some tricks up your sleeve since the moment Sora walked through those doors. You've been saving them for the perfect occasion, right? This IS the perfect occasion."

Naminé's head jerked up as he said this. How did he know?

"By the way, Naminé," he said sweetly with rebellious look in his eyes, "I don't see Marluxia around. Do you?"

"What are you trying to say?" she asked.

"There's no one here to stop you. Do it right."

Naminé nodded and bolted out the door as fast as she could go, leaving behind her sketchbooks and crayons as well as Axel. He stared at the door unblinking for a moment until he heard her footsteps rushing down the stairs. When he was sure she was far off, he did something bizarre. He burst into laughter.

"Hm hmm... Ha ha haaa! Now THIS should be good. All the actors are in place. Now, Sora! Naminé! Akyra! Riku! Marluxia! Larxene! It's about time you gave me one hell of a show!"

* * *

KHA: Heh, people are using mean language for a fanfic that's rated for ages 6 and up. O.o  
Roxas: O.o  
KHA: Me change rating! FWEE! For future use of language and mild violence in the next chapter.  
Akyra: N-n-n-next chapter?  
KHA: Yeah... The one we've been dreading... O.o  
Akyra: GAH!  
KHA: GAH!  
KHA/Akyra: (huggles in fear) 


	25. Go, And Never Return

KHA: This chapter basically turns the whole story around... I gathered all my writing skills and put into one chappie... I hope it's good...  
Akyra: (bites nails)  
KHA: Ah, yes, I forgot something: NOTICE! THIS CHAPTER IS RATED FOR LANGUAGE!  
Roxas: You have to scream it don't you?  
KHA: Yep! XD

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Akyra's mine. That's it. DEAL WITH IT.

* * *

"Larxene, calm yourself…" Marluxia said softly, watching Larxene pace back and forth nervously. She looked as if she would explode at any given moment. 

"Calm myself? Marluxia, she's STILL here! Vexen couldn't eliminate her and it's likely you won't either!"

"Tsk…" Marluxia frowned, shaking his head at Larxene's stupidity, "Fighting is out of the question. I've explained this before."

Larxene cocked an eyebrow at her associate. He sighed.

"When her heart is at its most fragile peak, we'll seep into her mind and break her from the inside."

"Do what you desire, Marluxia, but I won't go chasing after brats just to SPEAK with them," Larxene muttered angrily.

"The main reason why I'm not sending _you_," Marluxia sighed sarcastically. He walked slowly up to the crystal orb that rested on the only table in the room and gazed down at the four tiny figures, scurrying and tripping as they ran down the miniature hallway. He smiled.

"Calm yourself…" he said coolly, "Naminé has been a great help to us. The right time will come soon, Larxene… Soon."

* * *

Donald, Akyra and Goofy panted as they ran down the hallway. Sora, who was a couple of feet ahead of them and scowling evilly, was bolting faster than the speed of light and didn't show any signs of slowing down. The three of them tried their best to catch up to him but he was moving too swiftly and they were getting mighty tired. 

"Ahh, somebody tell me what's going on here..." Donald sighed once the four of them stopped to catch their breath.

"Let's just keep going, okay? It doesn't matter anymore!" Sora interrupted.

"Of course it matters!" Donald cried, "Don't you think it's weird that you and Riku have the same exact memory? You can't both be right."

"Oh, so I'm wrong, huh?" Sora yelled, causing Donald to jump with fear as he addressed him menacingly, "Fine! Don't believe me!"

"That's not what Donald meant. We're just worried," Goofy explained sadly.

"Then let's hurry up and ask Naminé. That should clear it up, right?" he growled with a twinge of attitude in his voice, "Look, we don't have time to sit around. So LET'S GO."

The three friends stared at him. He had never been this angry with his friends before. Never. And they weren't causing him any harm. They were just worried about him.

"Sora...what's happening to you?" Goofy asked softly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora barked.

"You always get real touchy when it comes to Naminé. Did you ever ask yourself why?"

"Before we came to this castle, you didn't even know her name. Now she's all you think about," Donald added.

"It doesn't make sense!" Akyra shouted.

"Maybe you should stop and think things through?" Goofy suggested.

"Think things through?" Sora asked with a threatening look, "You mean abandon her, is that it?"

"Don't talk to them like that!" Akyra yelled furiously.

"No…" Donald sighed, "But-"

"Whatever, do what you want. Lay back, take a nap, I don't care! I'M going to find Naminé!"

He glared at them with a look so evil, you could have sworn they were enemies. Without listening to what they had to say, he spinned around and scampered down the hallway, drawing his most recent world card from his pocket.

"Sora!" Donald cried anxiously.

Akyra's hands shook as she watched Sora run. He was insane. Insane, nuts, mad, crazy, whatever you want it to be. She had tolerated his foolishness this whole time. But Akyra was a ticking time bomb. She'd go off at any second with the proper motivation. She couldn't handle this madness any more. Her friend was brainwashed by an image. And had been transformed into a monster.

Still, actions speak louder than words. How DARE he speak to Donald and Goofy that way! Akyra glared at him, every ounce of her filling with pure hatred. Summoning her staff, she tossed it at him with all the strength she had. It spinned through the air like a boomerang before crashing to the ground and skidding to a halt beside Sora. He stopped abruptly, surprised by the sound of metal colliding with the hard, marble floor. He shifted his gaze to the object that caused such a deafening crash and, realizing whom it belonged to, stared up at her and glared. How DARE she interrupt his quest for Naminé! Daggers shot out of his glare as he looked deeply into Akyra's eyes, which were burning with hate.

"I can't TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" she shrieked as she approached him, "I'm sick and tired of you rambling on and on about Naminé! You've only remembered her for a few hours and she's taking over your mind! If she's so important then why doesn't anybody else remember her at all?"

"Don't talk about Naminé that way!" he menaced.

"ANSWER MY QUESTION, SORA!" she screeched so loudly that her echo could have been heard soon afterwards, "If she's so special, why are you the only one who cares?"

"STOP IT!"

"No, you should stop it! You want to know what I think?"

"SHUT UP!"

"I think you should stop obsessing over some figment of your imagination!"

"YOU LIAR!"

"She doesn't exist! SHE'S NOT REAL!"

Sora fell silent and looked away. Anger welled up inside him as he formed his right hand into a strong fist. He shouldn't be arguing with Akyra. They've been friends for as long as he can remember. But… she insulted Naminé… Nobody hurts Naminé and gets away with it. Grinding his teeth with fury, he looked up at her, glowering as the anger inside him flared.

Nobody could believe what he had done next.

Gathering all the strength he had, he raised his fist to be in level with his shoulders and punched her jaw the hardest he can. Surprised by his attempt at violence, Akyra tripped on her feet and fell to the ground. Donald and Goofy gasped. They couldn't believe their eyes. Akyra, on the other hand, stayed to the ground, feeling the cold of the marble floors freeze her skin. She rubbed her cheek on the exact place where Sora had hit her. It felt sore. With difficulty, she picked herself up from the floor and looked at Sora. He was still fuming. She scowled. He can't punch her and get away with it. Growling with fury, she caught him by surprise and punched him right back on his cheek with everything she had. She wanted to hurt him just as much as he wanted to hurt her. Sora rubbed his cheek and looked up. He accepted her challenge. Within the blink of an eye, the two teenagers had thrown themselves onto each other, determined to make the other suffer. There was punching, smacking, hair pulling, everything, anything to prove the other was wrong.

"WAK!" Donald quacked as he watched the fight.

"We have to do something!" Goofy cried.

The both of them ran up to the struggle and pulled both teenagers away from each other as fast as they could. Donald was having some trouble restraining Akyra since he was so small but still managed in the end. The two teens glowered at each other, still fuming with rage. But an awkward silence of about fifteen minutes or so was enough to calm them down. Well, the fighting part at least. The silence wasn't enough to calm the anger they still had.

Sora's glare faded and was replaced by a saddened look as he said softly, "How could you, Akyra?"

She didn't respond. She just kept glaring at him, rubbing her cheek where Sora had first punched her. Although it didn't seem that way, there was a fair amount of tension in the air as he spoke.

"You, of all people. How could you forget one of your closest friends? Have you no shame?"

"Take a look at yourself!" she intervened.

"Don't contradict the truth!" he spat, causing Akyra to jump in surprise, "It would be your style, though. Turning your back on others so you can run away from your own problems. You never learned to stand and fight."

"That's a load of crap and you know it!"

"Prove it then!"

Akyra stammered and fell silent. She couldn't answer to that.

"Not only did you betray Naminé… You betrayed me as well…" Sora said softly.

Akyra wore a saddened look on her face as she listened to him. She didn't know what to feel anymore. She looked as if she was on the verge of tears.

"I don't have time for actors posing as my friends," he continued, "I have a friend to save!"

"Good, because you just lost one! The way you are, good luck ever finding a new one!"

Sora stopped. He knew exactly what she was talking about. She was talking about herself. Was he really that evil? No! And how could she ever understand what he was going through? Why, she doesn't even know who Naminé is! She doesn't understand what she means to him. She just doesn't. He isn't evil. Neither is Naminé. And nobody will speak of Naminé that way. Ever.

"Go, Akyra… Go, and never come back!" he cried.

Donald and Goofy gasped. Akyra wore a shocked look. He couldn't mean it, could he?

"Sora, I —"

"I SAID GO!"

Her face fell as she glared at him. Without another word, not even one last glance, she stormed away, her footsteps echoing as she went back the way they came from.

"Sora…" Donald muttered sadly.

"That wasn't a really nice thing to do," Goofy sighed in sadness.

"Keep it to yourself!" Sora growled as he paced down the hallway, withdrawing the world card from his pocket.

Donald and Goofy shared worried looks. What could they do? Nothing, for that matter… So, with a final look at the dreaded hallway that maliciously stole a huge and important part of their memories, they continued their quest alongside Sora, hanging their heads in melancholy.

* * *

Akyra sighed. Why was she so snippy? At the moment she was so overcome with rage and despair. Now that she had calmed down, she started to realize that maybe punching Sora back and screaming wasn't exactly the best way to settle the situation. But… he asked for it! So there had to be some logic there… Yet, even if he did deserve it… it didn't change anything. What's done was done and Akyra was marching down the hallways… alone. 

"Well, well, well… If it isn't the almighty Staff bearer, walking the halls of Castle Oblivion… Alone."

"Huh?" she called, whirling around.

Someone had appeared behind her while she was too busy with her own thoughts. He had long, spiky brown hair, threatening eyes and he wore a black, hooded robe. Sheesh, how many of these guys were there? Akyra encountered five, four if you count the ones who actually took off their hood. Were they part of some club or are black robes back in style? She cocked an eyebrow when she laid eyes on him, not looking too amused.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said, "I am Marluxia."

"Not listening…" she said simply, rolling her eyes and walking away.

"You will be…" he said.

"Look, I don't have time for this," she answered with attitude. She had no time to play Guess-What-I'm-Thinking-About. She had to find a way to fix things.

"I know why Sora sent you away!" he called. Akyra spinned around and walked up to him, not pleased by his irritating comments.

"So do I," she said, smiling a fake smile, "We disagreed. We argued. He sent me away. End of story. Goodbye!"

"He did the right thing," Marluxia answered.

"Listen buster!" she said in a threatening voice, "You don't want to get me mad. Especially now."

"Who wouldn't send you away? You've always been a nuisance!"

He turned around, walking slowly down the hallway as he continued rambling. Akyra smiled. The perfect hit! She positioned her staff just right, waiting for the opportune moment.

"You were never that important to begin with," he continued, "Worst of it is that people like you never know when they're not wanted."

"And people like you never know when to shut up."

"Huh?"

He didn't have enough time to turn around. Akyra sent her staff spiralling through the air, bolting faster than the speed of sound. Marluxia, who was caught by surprise, was hit squarely in his face, sending him flying a couple of feet away. Akyra summoned her staff back, smiling proudly. Marluxia, on the other hand, was fuming with resentment.

"Nobody attacks the keeper of Castle Oblivion and gets away with it!"

"I believe I just did!" she yelled without thinking.

"Grr…" Marluxia growled.

He summoned his weapon, a large pink scythe, and slowly approached her. Taking a look at the sharpness of that scythe, Akyra gulped and wished she never provoked him to begin with. Was she really able to defeat Marluxia, the keeper of the castle? Maybe not. But it was worth a try, right? So, instead of making any moves she'd regret later on, Akyra went into a defensive mode. She'd hold up her staff and protect herself every time Marluxia took a slash by blocking it. This was a good technique… for a while. Soon he began to grow impatient and his attacks became more violent and swift. Finally, Akyra was unable to block a hit and was sent spiralling to the floor, her waist searing with pain where he had struck her.

"Glad that's over with…" he sighed, watching the girl struggle as she stood up.

"What are you talking about? I'm just getting warmed up!" she said, sounding cocky. Okay, she can't defeat him in battle. But she can always try demoralizing him with words, right?

"You don't have a single clue of what sort of danger you're in?"

She looked up at him with a confused look.

"Explain yourself!" she ordered.

"All the things you've seen in this castle, all the memories you've visited… They weren't real now were they?"

"No… They were illusions…" she sighed, repeating what the man in the black robe had told them.

"Illusions of something that has once lived. Once everyone forgets about something, it sinks into nothingness and the illusion is created."

"This isn't going anywhere!" Akyra yelled, becoming increasingly frustrated.

"Alright, then let's take you for example," he continued, "Without your presence constantly reminding him of your existence, your dear friend Sora will slowly begin to forget about you. Once he forgets you entirely, you will become an illusion. No heart, no mind, no spirit… You'll just be trapped in this castle forever."

Akyra stared at him blankly. What was this nonsense he was telling her? But, she decided to play along with it.

"Thanks for the info, Marxie. Now, if you don't mind, I've got to find my friends.

"And get beaten up by Sora again?" he asked, his upper lip curling.

Akyra stopped, her eyes growing wide. This is why he explained all that illusion nonsense to her… He knew there was nothing she could do about it.

"No… it can't possibly…" she stuttered, backing away from him, "No, no, NO!"

"Soon… you will be nothing more than an illusion, trapped in Castle Oblivion forever!" he cackled.

"You fiend!" she cried, readying her weapon, "Well, if I'm the one who's going down, then you're coming with me!"

She lunged at Marluxia, who merely yawned and vanished before she could even scrape him. She tripped on herself and fell to the floor face first. Marluxia soon reappeared behind her, looking very amused.

"See you in my memories, Staff bearer…" he said before stepping into a portal of darkness.

Akyra, overcome with rage, jumped into the air and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Get back here and fight, you coward!"

He was long gone but she still persisted in slashing through the air, her voice breaking. She scanned the area and breathed heavily… and she began to realize the whole truth.

Marluxia was gone.

Sora sent her away.

She was alone.

Akyra dragged her staff across the floor, ignoring the screeching sounds it made. She pressed her back against the wall and slid down. She knew what loneliness felt like, so why did this fall so heavily on her heart? She had no one to turn to and nowhere to go.

No… she wasn't feeling lonely. She felt abandoned.

Slowly, she placed her staff next to her and buried her face in her knees, sobbing quietly…

* * *

KHA: O.o In case any of you were wondering, this chapter issn't the end of it. There is even more heartbreak in the next chapter.  
Akyra: O.O YOU ARE MEAN, CRUEL, UNKIND...  
KHA: Also, I know what Marluxia said about forgetting and illusions doesn't make sense. The reason why he said it is slightly explained at the beginning of the chapter and will also be explained in the next chapter. Just so you're not confused. XD  
Akyra: NASTY, BRUTAL, PITILESS...  
Audience: Finally... death and destruction!  
Akyra: MALICIOUS, SPITEFUL, VINDICTIVE...  
Audience: Alright, we get it! Sheesh...  
Akyra: (sob) I hate you, KHA... 


	26. The Girl From My Dreams

KHA: Last chapter of the week! Enjoy it, my friends!  
Akyra: YAY!  
Roxas: FWEE!  
KHA: Wait! Before I let you read the chapter, you have to promise me something.  
Akyra: O.o Sure...  
KHA: Give me a five minute head-start? (cheesy grin)  
Akyra: Okay then... O.O  
KHA: On to the chappie! (cowers)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Akyra. Go me! XD

* * *

Marluxia strolled casually into the room and closed the door behind him, grinning evilly. At last, the ongoing problem that had been threatening the sake of their plans was dealt with. And it was all thanks to him. 

"You seem happy…" Axel sighed, joining the keeper of the castle.

"But of course. We need not worry any longer," he replied.

"If you ask me, that was a pretty corny speech you gave," Axel continued, crossing his arms.

"Once Sora forgets her, I will send her to her fictional home. She'll never know the difference."

"She's oblivious but she's not stupid. Sooner or later she'll figure out the truth and your little lie will backfire."

Marluxia wore an evil smile, the kind of smile that a predator would give to an unsuspecting prey.

"Are you questioning my ways, Axel?" he asked in a sickly sweet voice. Axel thought carefully before answering. He wasn't thick enough to say something that will make Marluxia question his loyalty.

"No," he said, "I'm just nervous about the fact that she might realize the truth."

Marluxia looked at him with a cross look. But, in the end, all he did was nod and exit the room. Axel sighed. He'd just have to be more careful next time.

* * *

His words echoed through her mind as she darted up the staircase. An illusion trapped in the castle forever… could this be true? Still, even if it wasn't, Akyra had no time to think. And she surely wasn't going to take a chance at being trapped in Castle Oblivion forever. She had to find Sora. She had to fix things. Something inside her told her that Sora can't go up the next flight of stairs, or else she was done for. She couldn't explain why she felt that way. She just did. 

Will she find him before it's too late? Or more importantly, will he believe her? Her determination kept her adrenaline pumping as she bolted down the hallway and scampered up the stairs.

Suddenly, she skidded to a halt. There they were! Sora, Donald and Goofy were climbing up the next staircase, panting heavily. They looked tired. Yet, they kept going, determined to reach the next hallway. This was the staircase Akyra was dreading. She had to do something quick!

"No!" she yelled, "Sora, don't! Donald! Goofy! Please help me stop him!"

Donald and Goofy jumped in surprise when their names were yelled and turned to face her. They wore confused expressions as they surveyed her.

"Do… Do we know you from somewhere?" Donald asked slowly.

"Nope," Goofy answered, "She doesn't look familiar to me…"

Akyra's eyes widened. It's only been a couple of minutes since they were apart! What was this castle doing to them?

"It's me! Akyra! Your friend! How could you have forgotten about me so quickly?"

Donald, still looking directly at her with a puzzled look, approached Sora slowly.

"Sora? Do you recognize her?" he asked quietly.

Sora turned his head to have a better look. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on her, he glared so evilly that, with a little hair treatment and contact lenses, he looked exactly like Ansem.

"You again!" he yelled angrily, "The Naminé hater! I thought I told you to leave!"

"Sora!" she called, still attempting to convince him, "You don't have any idea about what's going on!"

"Yes I do!" he intervened, "Naminé's in danger and no one will stop me from saving her! Not even you!"

"Shut up about Naminé and LISTEN! You climb that staircase and you'll forget more of your most precious memories!"

Sora didn't say anything. All he did was turn around and continue climbing the stairs. Akyra continued.

"Go up those stairs and those memories will cease to exist! Go up those stairs and… and you'll forget about me…"

Sora had reached the final step when he heard her say this. He turned to gaze at her. Although his glare had slightly faded, his eyes were burning with anger. They showed no lies, no deceit, and no trickery. Just hate.

"Oh yeah? Well, maybe I WANT to forget about you!"

Over the years, Akyra had been hurt, injured, wounded, etc. Needless to say the Heartless have harmed her countless times. Yet… sticks and stones may break your bones but words injure the heart. And Sora's words pierced Akyra's heart deeper than any weapon could have done. Scabs and scars are painful for a few minutes.

But there is no remedy for the heart.

Akyra's heart grew heavy as she watched Sora take the final step up the staircase. Suddenly, a strange, grey darkness began clouding around her, engulfing her despair in smoke. Akyra cringed with worry as the truth sank in. She was disappearing, just like she had been told. The grey darkness rose, clouding her vision and her entire body. She panicked, but there was nothing that could be done.

"No!" she hollered as she felt her vision fade, "No… no!"

In the blink of an eye, she and the grey smoke that surrounded her vanished, leaving a vacant spot where she had been standing moments before. Sora, Donald and Goofy watched the sight in horror at the top of the staircase, perplexed.

"Who… Who do you suppose that was?" Sora asked. Donald and Goofy shook their heads.

"I don't know, but it looked like she was in trouble!" Goofy answered.

"Should we try saving her?" Donald asked.

"No…" Sora responded, "We have to save Naminé. Maybe when we get rid of those guys in black robes while saving Naminé, maybe she'll be saved too."

The three o them whirled around and trotted down the hallway, gazing fondly at the door that stood at the end of it.

"Sora, are you sure you don't know who that girl is?" Goofy asked.

"Nope… No idea."

* * *

"Sora…. Sora? EARTH TO SORA!" Donald quacked angrily. 

"Hmm… what?" Sora asked, his eyes half shut. They had only walked halfway down the hallway and Sora looked as if he was about to collapse.

"Gawrsh, Sora, you seem pretty tired. You sure you don't want to stop and rest a bit?" Goofy asked kindly.

"N-no! Naminé needs to be rescued! I won't abandon her now…"

"Sora, look at yourself! You've been beating yourself senseless ever since we set foot in this castle. You're a mess!"

"I…"

"Don't worry about Naminé," Donald reassured him, "We'll keep a lookout. You don't want to save Naminé half asleep, do you? Now rest up!"

Sora smiled and yawned as he curled up near the wall.

"Thanks, you guys," he said in a sleepy tone. Donald and Goofy smiled. Within the next second, Sora had closed his eyes and had already fallen asleep.

And dreamed.

* * *

Sora was lying in the sand like he was so accustomed to doing every day. Wait a minute. Sand? He woke with a start and scrambled to his feet. Could it be? He scanned his surroundings and soon enough, a large grin formed on his face. He was home again! But, if he was home again, then that means… he was able to find Naminé! And all the rest of his closest friends. Without a moment to lose, he sprinted forward, searching the islands frantically for any sign of his friends. He checked everywhere. He checked the cove, the secret place, even the little cabin near the bridge. But the islands were completely deserted. And it was close to nightfall. 

_Hang on… Something's not right_, Sora thought. When he woke up, it was morning. And now, the sky had darkened and the waves were violently crashing against the sandy beach a mere five minutes later.

Then, it hit him. This was that night. The night his life changed forever.

_T__here should be a huge Heartless here_, he thought, if his memory was correct.

And there was. The giant Darkside Heartless sprouted out of the ground and tore the islands apart, the ground rumbling with every step it made. Without a moment to lose, Sora charged at it and defeated it with a couple of strokes of the Keyblade. Although he had defeated it, he was still sucked into a spinning vortex in the sky, sending him flying into a new and unknown world.

His dream continued like this. He relived all his memories, or at least the ones he was able to remember. But something didn't seem right. As he experienced most of his adventures again, he became increasingly sad. All his friends seemed to stay with him for a good while but then they would slip away from him and disappear. Of course, he would make new friends but they eventually ended up slipping away as well. It was nice to meet new people but Sora wished he could find a true friend who wouldn't leave his side. When he relived his memories of Castle Oblivion, he recalled all the nasty things Riku had told him as well as their battles. He couldn't believe it. One of his closest friends now despised him and was determined to eliminate him in battle. Sora's knees gave way under him and he fell to his hands and knees, a tear trickling down his cheek. He was alone and there was no one here to help him.

"Don't give up! I'm here for you."

Sora raised his head when he heard the sound of her voice. A girl about his age was kneeling before him, offering him her gloved hand and grinning brightly. Sora couldn't exactly remember meeting her. She had a bright smile with eyes that sparkled a crystal blue color and her hair was the strange color of bright purple. Yet, there was something familiar about her. He tugged onto her hand and felt her pull him to his feet. Aw, it was on the tip of his tongue! He knew who she was… he just knew it.

His eyes flickered with joy when he recalled.

"Naminé?" he asked softly.

The girl didn't reply. She kept smiling and giggled when he mentioned the name. Sora smiled.

He found her at last...

* * *

"Whoa!" Sora yelped, abruptly sitting up. 

"WAK! What is it?" Donald screeched, alarmed by Sora's sudden reaction.

"Huh?" he asked himself, rubbing the back of his head. He was back in Castle Oblivion just like before. But he had seen Naminé! She was smiling and happy, just like he remembered her. How could he have forgotten what she looked like? Oh well, it didn't matter anymore. He had to find her.

"Come on, you guys, let's go find Naminé!" he said quickly, scrambling to his feet and bolting down the hallway.

"Sora, slow down!" Donald called.

"No! There's no time! We have to find her!" he yelled, skidding to a halt in front of the door. Panting heavily, he impatiently rummaged through his pocket, pulled out the world card and held it up in front of the door.

"Sora!" Goofy called, hoping Sora would wait for them. But he couldn't get through to him. Sora's mind was made up. He had to see Naminé again. The familiar light engulfed him entirely as he was transported into the world, leaving Donald and Goofy behind in Castle Oblivion.

"Naminé… I'm coming for you."

* * *

Akyra: O.O  
KHA: Five minute head-start! YOU PROMISED!  
S/A pairing fans: We take it back! (runs after authoress with torches)  
KHA: O.o (runs away)  
Akyra: (sob)  
Audience: Erm... Since the authoress ish busy... O.o  
KHA: (screams like a sissy)  
Audience: I guess we have to read you readers the memo. "Dear readers, For the next two weeks my parents will be on vacation meaning I'll be uber busy and update a little less than usual. O.o Sorry! I still luff you all!" And then there's little huggle notes. O.o Geez, she's weird... 


	27. Dreams and Accusations

KHA: HEY! (huggles all the readers in one big bear hug) I'm back from vacation! I went down to Vermont and raided all the American shops for souvenirs. They've got uber cool stuff! XD Anyways, I have to say that Vermont is SO DARN PRETTY! I luffed it and...  
Roxas: Is she done rambling?  
Audience: (takes out earplugs) Excuse me, did you say something?  
Roxas: O.o  
Akyra: I hate this chappie...  
Roxas: Whoo... what a surprise...  
KHA: ... and there was loads of ice cream and...  
Roxas: O.o (faints)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Com. Only Akyra is mine. Got it memorized? lol ... I don't own Axel. O.o

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The sun was shining brightly, showering the island with heat and light. The palm trees' leaves danced with the soft breeze as the ocean's waves gently washed ashore before sinking backwards again. In the distance, a seagull's call could be heard as it slowly landed on a coconut tree, eyeing the tiny fish that swam quickly in the shallow water. Sora's eyes stayed wide with shock as he felt his bottom jaw lowering. He gasped. Could it be?

"I'm not going crazy. Right? I know exactly where this is..." he said to himself, "Yeah! This is our island — where Naminé and I used to play together!"

"Hey!"

Someone's sudden call caused Sora to whirl around in panic. Three kids, probably a little older or younger than he, scurried down the beach, laughing and waving to him.

"Whassup, Sora!" asked the tall red haired boy as he tightly clutched a sky blue ball.

"So, whatcha wanna do today?" asked the shorter brown-haired girl as she smoothed her yellow dress and twirled a skipping rope in her hands.

"Hey, guys!" Sora said with a faint chuckle. They seemed so familiar. Where had he seen them before? "Am I glad to see you, uh…"

"'Uh' what?" asked the caramel haired boy, gripping tightly onto a slim, red stick.

"We got food on our faces?" asked the boy holding the blue ball.

"Please, Wakka…" the girl sighed, "Only you could be dumb enough to not notice food stuck to your face."

"Hey, whoa! That's hittin' below the belt, ya?" the boy named Wakka cried.

"I don't know, Wakka. I think Selphie's on the mark," the boy with the red stick remarked.

"Aw, not you too, Tidus!" Wakka cried in agony.

"Oh, yeah... You're Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus, that's who you are!" Sora said suddenly, snapping his fingers. Selphie, Tidus and Wakka couldn't help but stare at him blankly with goofy looking confused expressions.

"Erm… you hit your head?" Wakka asked.

"No, uh… just thinking aloud," Sora said quickly, the first excuse that popped into his mind.

Selphie, Tidus and Wakka looked at each other for a moment then grinned. Large grins. Sly grins. And they squinted too. The perfect facial expression for when you are about to tease someone.

"I know..." Selphie said slowly, "you're thinking about HER again!"

"Oh, I get it. Yeah, he's a total zombie when she's on his mind," Tidus agreed.

"That would explain why he's actin' all funny toward us," Wakka concluded.

"I bet you want us to take a hike so you two can be ALONE, huh?" Selphie said in a mocking tone.

"Um… I guess…" Sora sighed. He had no idea what they were talking about and had no idea of how to answer them.

"All right, all right. We'll disappear for a while. Go get her, cowboy!" Selphie cheered as she ran off.

"We'll try to be quiet while we SPY on you! Heh heh..." Tidus chuckled. No sooner had Tidus whirled around to run off with Selphie, Wakka bounced his ball off his head.

"Hey, Sora's serious. Give the man some room!" Wakka said sternly.

"Hey, just kidding, man!" Tidus grinned as he rubbed his head, "See you later, Sora!"

After Wakka had picked up his ball the two of them sped off to rejoin Selphie, leaving Sora utterly confused and oblivious to what they were talking about.

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The sun was setting on the islands and yet the two teenagers showed no sign of wanting to return home. Their laughter filled the air as they continued to play-battle, taking hits and getting hit as they played. The score was rather tied. One never was better than the other. Usually, these two would just play battle for all the fun they had. It would rarely happen that someone would win. Most of the time, they fell down, exhausted by laughing so much. Today was no different.

Akyra's knees gave way underneath her as she fell to the sandy ground, out of breath from laughing so hard. Sora took this moment as a chance to strike. He stretched out his wooden sword and poked Akyra a couple of times before sitting beside her, his face red from laughing so hard.

"One. Two. Three, four five! HA! Gotcha five hits to your none!" he said triumphantly.

"Oh, really?" Akyra asked slyly, reaching out for one of her fans when Sora wasn't looking. Within the blink of an eye, she struck at Sora, her fan barely scraping the edge of his skin. He stared at her in surprise as she withdrew her play weapon.

"Gotcha! That count for five?" she mocked.

Sora thought for a moment and said, "Nope, that's worth three…"

"Hey!" she yelled as she playfully punched Sora's shoulder.

"I'm kidding…" he sighed, gazing out into the sunset. Akyra did the same. But something didn't seem right. Akyra put on a suspicious look as she turned her head sideways. Sora watched her, wondering what she was looking at. He copied her movement but he saw nothing strange.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Does the sun look square to you?" she asked.

Sora's eyes grew wide. She was starting to make no sense.

"The sun! See over there?" she said as she pointed to the horizon, "It sort of looks like it comes to a point."

"Erm…" Sora sighed. He didn't know what to say.

"It kind of looks like the shape of your head after you took that beating from Riku today," Akyra said slyly.

"Hey! Those couple of shots didn't count!" Sora cried, defending his position.

"Really? And why not?" she asked sarcastically.

"Because… I was distracted. That wasn't fair."

"Distracted by what?"

"Nothing!" he said quickly, turning away, "Nothing important…"

"Hmmm…" Akyra thought as she watched him. He was acting mighty strange. But she has seen that behaviour before. He was hiding something. "Let's see now…" she muttered as she examined him, "Slight blushing, constant rejection of the subject and…" Each time she tried to look at him, he would turn away or change his regard. "…constant refusal to look at the accuser in the eye… hmm… Oh!"

Akyra's grin grew wide and cunning. Now she understood…

"You were distracted by a girl you like!" she shouted.

"What?" Sora yelled as he jumped back, "That's crazy!"

"So…" she said calmly, "Who is she?"

"Nobody!"

"Aw, come on!" she pleaded, "You can tell me."

"No, no, no!"

"Come on, pwease?"

It went on this way for a couple of minutes. But Sora denied her accusations and refused to say anything at all. Finally, Akyra got tired of taunting and decided to let it drop.

"Nobody, I tell you!" he shouted.

"Okay, okay, I believe you…"

She turned to watch the sun set above the big blue ocean. Just think, in a couple of days she would be riding a raft on that ocean with her three best friends in the whole world…

"Say, when are we going to start building that raft of ours? You know, the one that'll bring us to other worlds?" she asked.

"Well, Riku will get us some wood by tomorrow. Maybe we'll start then."

"What do you think is out there?" she asked as she stood up.

Sora got to his feet as well before saying, "Well, I'm sure that your hometown and Kairi's are out there."

"Ooh! Ooh! What if I'm royalty in my hometown? Will I get a shiny crown? Ooh!"

Sora chuckled. "I can't be sure… But, Akyra, what if there's danger out there? Then what would you do?"

Akyra gave Sora a that's-so-obvious look.

"We can defend ourselves," she said, "All these years of play-battling won't go to waste. And Riku can protect Kairi. Besides, Tidus is right. Kairi can always count on Riku…"

Sora looked at her for a moment and smiled. Now was his chance to get on her nerves and get revenge. He stretched his arms and said, "Well, if Riku's protecting Kairi, then that leaves me to protect you."

Akyra looked at him with a confused yet annoyed expression.

"What?" she asked sarcastically, "You actually think I can't protect myself?"

"Nope." Sora said simply, "Not after counting how many times I've whipped you over the years."

"Really? So, getting whipped by Riku means you're better than me?"

"I've told you before. I was distracted!"

"By a girl!"

"Now, you asked for it!"

He grabbed her arm and positioned it behind her so she couldn't escape and, forming a fist, rubbed the top of her head hard. When someone used to get on their nerves on purpose, the kids on Destiny Islands used to give them a noogie. Yet, even in their teenage years, these two still had their childlike spirit. They broke out into a frenzy of laughter but that was soon interrupted by the arrival of Kairi and Riku.

"Hi guys!" Kairi said cheerfully.

"Hi Kairi!" Sora said.

"Hi Kairi…" Akyra said softly.

No offence. Akyra loves Kairi as a friend. The only thing she hates about her is her uncanny sense of timing.

"It's getting late, guys," Riku said, "Let's head home."

"I'll give you a ride, Akyra, since you're boat is being repaired," Kairi offered.

"Thanks!" she said with a smile.

"See you girls tomorrow!" Riku called from his boat.

As Kairi waved goodbye to them, Akyra couldn't help but stare at the sunset. It DID look square. Checking to make sure that Kairi wasn't looking, she walked towards the ocean and stopped once the water hit her ankles.

"Can't you give me an adventure?" she pleaded to the sunset, "That's all I ever wanted."

"Akyra, you coming?" she heard Kairi call.

"Yeah!" she yelled back. With one last look at the square-shaped sun, she darted back to where Kairi stood, hoping that the sun had heard her.

_Of course, what could the sun do for me?_ she would think. But, all she could do was hope.

-----------------

The sun's horrible heat seemed to be beating down on her and she could hear the rush of the waves as they came close. Akyra lazily opened her eyes. What had happened? She sat up. Oh yeah… now she remembered. Sora sent her away and never wants to see her face again. Also, he literally tore her heart in half. Now, she was back home. Well… at least it can't get any worse than this…

Home?

Akyra sprinted to her feet and quickly scanned the area. She was home! The palm trees, the ocean, the secret place… it was all there again! As if nothing had happened!

As if nothing had happened…

"It must be an illusion…" Akyra said to herself as her face fell. She kicked the sand at the thought. Marluxia had sent her to her fictional home. The difference? This home was empty. There is no fun. But there are voices. Oddly familiar ones, too. Akyra looked up. Sora was speaking to three kids who were about his age.

"Sora!" Akyra called. She bolted up to him faster than lightning.

"Thanks a lot, Sora!" she yelled sarcastically, "What do you think you're-"

The four of them continued their conversation as if Akyra wasn't even present.

"Sora? Hello!" she called. She attempted to grab his wrist and make him listen. But, instead of knocking some sense into him, she gasped. Her hand passed right through him, like a ghost.

"What?" she asked, her eyes wide with shock as she backed away, "Why can't they see me?"

"Because you're not there." Akyra whirled around. There was nobody there. But she was so sure she had heard that voice! She actually felt it run chills down her spine.

"Show yourself!" she demanded.

"I'm right before your eyes," the voice said.

"No, you're not! Quit annoying me!"

"Here… I'm standing right before you. Now tell me, Akyra… Do you see me?"

"No!" she barked.

"Are you sure?"

Akyra looked around. The Islands were perfect in their way, Sora had run off after his conversation and the ocean sparkled as the sun's rays hit it. Still, she felt their presence.

"The world you see now is nothing but a mere illusion that you created."

"I created?" she asked.

"You do not wish to see what the real world looks like," the voice said, "So you created an image to avoid it."

"I'm not afraid of you!" she shouted, whipping out her staff.

"Close your eyes, Akyra."

She growled with disgust for a moment but decided to do it anyway. She closed her eyes for a moment and reopened them, only to gasp with shock. The sun was gone. The island was practically torn in half. Pieces of wood flew wildly in the air and a dark orb hung in the sky.

"That night!" she shrieked.

"Correct."

She lifted her head and gazed at the owner of the voice. It was a young man with spiky yet droopy blue hair wearing a long, black, hooded robe.

"You! You're with the black robed people, aren't you? Gosh, how many are you?" she shouted over the strong howl of the wind.

"Much more…" he responded, "My name is Zexion."

"I don't care who you are!" she screeched, "Why did you bring me here?"

"I didn't bring you here," Zexion answered, "This is way you see your home."

"But… Sora was-"

"Sora lives in the realm of light. A place where you don't belong…" Zexion boomed.

"What? What are you…" she stammered.

"The darkness in your heart created this image."

"Darkness? There is not a trace of darkness in my heart!" she cried, even though what he said did make some sense to her.

"Denying it doesn't change anything. But, Akyra, don't you see? You can do great things with the power of darkness…"

She stared at him longingly, her eyes wide with shock. She had heard those words before…

"All you must do is accept it. Accept it in your heart. Let yourself become darkness!"

"You're… You're Ansem!"

Zexion looked down on her, his face blank.

"I may be Ansem… And I may be not… How are we to know?"

"Whatever! There's no way I'll accept the darkness!" she hollered, "I'll never let go of the light! Never!"

"You already have…" Zexion said simply.

With a frightened look, Akyra looked down. Surrounding her ankles and becoming wider by the minute was a pool of darkness. She felt the ground give in under her as she sank into it. She twitched and flailed her arms wildly in the air.

"There is no use fighting now…" said Zexion.

Akyra didn't listen. She still tried to fight her way out. But it was no use; the darkness had covered her entirely. And she felt… oddly sleepy…

Zexion smiled as he stared at the place where Akyra stood moments before.

"We'll give the darkness some time to swallow you," he said, "In the meantime… I believe you could be useful to me…"  
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KHA: Oooohh... Akyra's dreaming! Haha! (dives victory dive)  
Akyra: O.o Aw, what the heck... (dives victory dive)  
Roxas: (eats ice cream)  
Sora: Can I have some?  
Roxas: GET YOUR OWN!  
Sora: O.O (slowly backs away)


	28. I Can Fight The Darkness Alone

KHA: YAY! Things are going uphill for our darling Akyra!  
Akyra: It'll only get worse...  
KHA: (sigh) There has been a lot of heartbreak... We need some cheering up... LET'S HAVE A PARTY!  
(crickets chirp)  
KHA: O.o

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. I own Akyra. Yepsters! XD

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Riku stepped onto the sandy beach for the first time since… well, since this whole mess happened. The world card Zexion had given him revealed a lovely island with sandy beaches, palm trees, wooden ladders and walkways as well as a great, blue ocean: his home. He knew it was naught but an illusion yet he was still happy to see it again.

"I never thought I'd miss the island winds so much..." he sighed as he scanned the area, "Funny… there was a time I couldn't wait to get off this rock. And now I'm acting all relieved."

He took a short walk up the beach, still taking in his surroundings. But, off in the distance, he spotted three oddly familiar figures.

"Is that...?" Riku thought as he squinted for a better look. He guessed right. They were his friends Selphie, Tidus and Wakka.

"Hey guys!" he called as he ran up to them. But the three of them didn't answer him. In fact, it was as if they couldn't even hear him.

"What's with you guys?" he chuckled, "I don't think I've EVER seen the three of you so quiet. What, is there something on my face?"

Suddenly, without a warning, the three of them vanished. Just like that. Riku's smile faded and was quickly replaced by a sense of panic.

"Guys!" he called as he darted down the beach, looking left and right for any sign of them.

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"Hey, Sora! What's the big rush?" Riku asked. Had he stood in the same spot a split second longer, Sora would have sliced right through him. Lucky for him he stepped aside, giving Sora enough room to screech to a halt.

"I know you..." he said after quickly realizing who had spoken to him, "You're Riku!"

"Gee, thanks for remembering me," he said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes, "It's been, what, a couple of hours?"

"Er...never mind," Sora said, shaking his head, "Are you okay? Are you still under his control?"

Riku stared at him wide-eyed. _Yep_, he thought, _Sora's officially insane_.

"What are you TALKING about?" he asked.

"I get it..." Sora sighed, "You must be the Riku from my memories."

"'The Riku From My Memories'? Sounds like you're stuck in the land of make believe," he chuckled.

"I guess I kind of am."

"Ha ha, you're such a kid," he sniggered, "How are you gonna take care of HER if you act like that?"

Sora finally figured out whom they were talking about. It must be Naminé.

"So you know where she is? I've been –"

Before Sora had the chance to finish, though, the ground began to rumble and the wind started picking up. A violent storm was probably on its way.

"What's happening?" Sora called, trying to keep his balance.

"How should I know? Whatever it is, it can't be good. I'm gonna go warn the others!" Riku answered.

"Then I should…"

"I know, I know! It's your job to look after her. So get going!" Riku cried as he leapt off the bridge and ran across the beach.

"Okay!" Sora called as he ran off in the opposite direction, searching ruthlessly for her.

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After many minutes of searching, Riku was able to find someone else. He climbed up to the seaside shack and ran down the bridge that connected the two islands. As he drew closer to his destination, the image of the figure became clearer. Riku was overwhelmed with happiness when he found out who it was. It was someone very close to him.

"Kairi…" he sighed, "Hey, Kairi. Don't tell me you –"

Kairi vanished.

"Ah... No, no, NO!"

Riku couldn't say he wasn't expecting it, but it did make him grow increasingly frustrated. Something strange was going on and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Surely you knew this would happen."

Riku raised his head, his teeth grinding. He REALLY didn't want to be near Zexion at the moment.

"Why would I know that!" he roared.

"You've been to a number of worlds in your memory before this one," Zexion explained, "And in those worlds, you met only dark beings. That's all that's left in your heart: dark memories. Your memories of home are gone… each and every one."

"That's a lie!" he boomed even louder, "I remember everyone from the islands! Tidus and Selphie and Wakka... Kairi, Akyra and Sora, too! They're my...my... They're my friends..."

"And who threw away those friends?" he said coolly, "Maybe it's your own actions that you forgot. You destroyed your home!"

Riku didn't notice it at first but as Zexion spoke, darkness began shrouding the area, turning the peaceful day into a violent night. The winds picked up, the ocean was brutal and a dark orb began forming in the sky, sucking in everything in its wake. Riku stared in shock as he watched his home be devoured once again, broken apart once again and destroyed once again…

"This is... that night!" he gasped.

"The islands you grew up on were sundered, scattered..." Zexion continued, "Many hearts were lost to the darkness. And the ones you claim to be your friends are the ones who had to suffer the consequences of your later actions! Tell me, Riku, do you recognize her?"

He waved his hand, creating a misty, dark portal. Riku squinted hard, trying to identify the person who was hidden among the smoke. Within a few seconds, the misty smoke began lifting and his sight of the girl became clearer. She seemed asleep…

"Akyra!" he cried.

"See what you have done?" Zexion boomed, "Because of your foolishness, darkness has taken over a denizen of light. It won't be long before the darkness devours her. Then she really will be nothing more but a memory…"

"I… I…" Riku stammered. Did he really do that?

"This is how you treated your friends!" he continued as he let Akyra's figure fall to the ground, "And all of those around you! They live in pain and despair. Because of what YOU did!"

Riku's head was spinning. How could he have been responsible for this mess? The answer came to him all too suddenly. Zexion had conjured a second Riku to stand beside him. He smiled slightly and stretched out his arm, as if asking someone to come with him. Yet, this Riku was different. He was nothing like the real one. He had no feelings. He was the memory of Riku from that night.

"N-No…" the real Riku stammered.

"You hated being an islander, cut off from other worlds. So you opened the door to darkness and destroyed the islands. YOU did that! And now you belong to the darkness. Look at what you are!"

Riku stared longingly at his other, who began to look slightly darker. The darkness that Zexion used to conjure anything swirled around it, darkening its figure as its eyes began to glow a strange golden hue. The darkness began to expand and skyrocketed upwards, taking the other Riku along with it. The real Riku gasped. He wasn't gazing at his memory any longer. He was gazing at the largest Heartless he had ever seen; a shadowy, dark Heartless with glowing eyes and the shape of a heart engraved on its torso.

"This…" Riku said with shock, whisking out his sword and preparing himself for battle, "This can't be ME!"

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After a few minutes, Riku had successfully defeated the giant Heartless. It wasn't too hard, judging by Riku's experience in fighting and all. But little did he know that the fight was far from over.

In a flash of silver, someone had slashed at Riku. He toppled over but managed to retain his balance. Gosh, how much battling was there? He wasn't too happy about the fact that he had to fight again but he was determined to eliminate his enemy. That is… until he figured out who his enemy was.

Picking up his head, he readied his sword and deflected the attack. There was a loud metallic clash as the sword came in contact with the Keyblade.

Keyblade…

Riku dropped his sword. It couldn't be… it just couldn't! Standing before him and panting heavily was none other than Sora, one of his best friends. He glared at Riku as anger flared in his eyes, the Keyblade looked tightly in his grip.

"Sora!" Riku gasped with mixed emotions of happiness and confusion. Yet Sora didn't share his enthusiasm. He took another slash, only barely missing Riku by a hair.

"Stop it, Sora!" he pleaded, "Don't you recognize me?"

"Yeah, I recognize you," Sora answered in a cold, cruel voice, "I can see exactly what you've become!" He took one more slash and this time, he didn't miss. He struck Riku violently, causing him to fall to his knees, clutching his arm where Sora had attacked him.

"Gaah!" Riku gasped.

"Look at you, shrinking away from the light... You're not Riku anymore... You're just a pawn of the darkness. So be it. It's time for you to face the light!"

With that said, Sora raised his Keyblade for the final time and positioned it before Riku. Expecting to be hit again, Riku flinched. But that's not what happened. Instead, a blast of light shot out of the Keyblade, so bright that it engulfed everything in its wake. It covered Sora, the islands, everything… but Riku. It wasn't long before he was left alone, floating in an endless abyss of light.

"I'm...fading..." Riku said softly, "Consumed by the light..."

"You won't fade."

Riku blinked. He could have sworn he was alone in the sea of light. Yet that kind voice did bring him some happiness, for he knew exactly whom it belonged to. He picked up his head and, as he guessed, Kairi stood before him with a wide grin. It had been so long since he saw her smile like that…

"You can't fade," she reassured him, "No power can defeat you… not the light, not the dark. So don't run from the light — and don't fear the darkness. Both will make you stronger."

"Darkness, too?" Riku asked, smiling slightly.

"Especially darkness. Because that power is yours alone. The darkness in your heart is vast and deep...but if you can stare into it unflinching, you'll never know fear again," Kairi finished, smiling cheerfully.

"All this time I've been pushing the darkness away..."

"Just be brave. Know that the darkness is there and don't give in. Do that, and you'll gain strength unlike any other. You'll be able to escape the deepest darkness —"

"— and I'll be able to see through the brightest light..." he finished.

"Follow the darkness, Riku. It, along with the light, will show you the way to the friends you miss."

"But can I face them..." he muttered.

"You don't want to?" Kairi giggled.

"You know I do," Riku said, smiling at Kairi, "And I will! The darkness — MY darkness — will show me the way!"

Kairi gently smiled, encouraging Riku as she slowly faded into the light. Riku knew what he must do. Gathering all his strength, he yelled, "Darkness, awaken!"

Almost instantly the darkness flooded through his body as it covered the light. The islands, as well as Sora, came back into view as Riku floated downwards, wearing his dark clothes with his sword in hand. This time, it was his turn. He slashed at Sora, who was sent flying backwards, hitting the Paopu tree. He kneeled in pain, his dark eyes radiating anger. Dark eyes? Wait a second… Sora doesn't have dark eyes!

"Im… Impossible!" he yelled in a low voice that wasn't his. In an instant flash of light, Sora vanished, revealing Zexion as he kneeled in the exact same position Sora had. But of course! Riku didn't fight the real Sora. It was just Zexion disguised as him.

"How did you find me in the light?" Zexion demanded.

"You reek of the dark. Even the light can't block out the smell. I followed the darkness right to you!"

"Heh..." he chuckled, "After all your protests you're still just another darkling."

"I know who I am," Riku snarled.

"Since when? You were terrified of the dark before…"

Zexion was really getting on his nerves. He said what he had to say and the message was loud and clear. But Zexion didn't seem to want to understand.

"I'm not now!" he cried, slashing at Zexion once again.

"Gaah… Hypocrite!" Zexion screeched, summoning a dark portal and escaping through it before Riku could cause any more damage. Realizing he was alone, Riku lowered his weapon.

"He got away…" he muttered. Well, there was nothing he could do now. Zexion got away, leaving him alone on the islands once again.

"I'd better get out of here…" he said to himself as he turned around to head for the exit. But something caught his eye. Something long and shiny… with a heart-shaped tip.

"Huh?" he mumbled, approaching the object. It was a staff… Akyra's staff! And it was being clutched by none other than…

"Akyra?" he asked himself. Akyra lay lifelessly on the cold ground, her eyes tightly shut. Hang on. Something wasn't right here. Usually, when Zexion conjured images or illusions, he left with them too. So, if he conjured an image of Akyra to taunt him, then why was she left behind? Shouldn't he have taken her too?

"Unless…" Riku spoke, "Unless she isn't an illusion…"

Riku kneeled beside her and held up her hand. It felt a little cold. But at least he felt something! She WAS real!

"Akyra, is that really you? Speak to me!" he demanded, lightly tapping her cheek and hoping she'll wake up. His efforts were useless. She still lay unconscious.

"Huh?" Riku asked himself. You know, she seemed a little… different. Riku picked up her arm and sniffed her wrist. It smelled very familiar…

"No!" he panicked. This is what Zexion was talking about all along! The darkness in Akyra's heart… and how it was entirely his fault.

"No! I won't let Zexion be right! Akyra, please listen to me!" he cried. She showed no expression, yet he continued:

"You were always a denizen of light, so don't give up now! You can fight the darkness! With the light on your side, you're strong enough to fight it off yourself! Remember what you said? There is always a faint glimmer of light, even in the deepest darkness. Don't lose sight of it! As long as you can always find it, you can always beat the darkness. I know you can!" Riku stared at her, a sense of panic in his eyes. Maybe his voice can reach her…

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"Where am I?" Akyra asked slowly as she opened her eyes. She was floating in complete darkness, unable to move.

"I'm fading… into darkness…" She attempted to move but her effort was useless. Something invisible bound her to her spot. There was no escaping now…

"Akyra!" called a voice. Someone was calling out to her. Someone didn't want her to sink into darkness.

"Darkness…" she muttered, glaring evilly, "No… I won't let you take over me… Let go!"

She fidgeted and squirmed in place. She had to get out of there. There was no way it would devour her heart! Not now… Not now…

She broke free. The darkness wasn't pressing her down anymore, forcing her to sink in its depths. She was able to escape, escape within the light. Without a second to spare, she floated upwards, reaching out to that tiny glimmer of light that shone among the dark…

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"Gah!" Akyra screeched.

"AAH!" Riku shouted, falling back in surprise.

Akyra had suddenly sat upright in a jolt, panting heavily, her eyes wide. Riku, who had been gazing at her lifeless form, was knocked back in surprise by her sudden movements. Akyra's eyes turned to face Riku. She stayed silent for a moment, the calm ocean breeze ruffling through their hair. Until…

"Riku!" she hollered, "Get away from me!"

She scrambled to her feet and whipped out her staff, her hands shaking violently.

"Whoa! What's going on?" he yelled, quickly picking himself up.

"As if you didn't know!" she yelled angrily, "Who do you think you are? Fighting with Sora over Naminé! What's gotten into you?"

"I… What are you…Hang on, who's Naminé?" he asked.

"Oh, playing stupid now, are we?"

"I swear, I don't know what you're talking about! Don't you believe me, Akyra?"

Her glare faded. There was something in his eyes. Though, unlike the Riku they met in Castle Oblivion, his eyes didn't show hate or resentment. They showed… guilt… and a certain joy. Akyra lowered her weapon. The way he said her name… was he the one who called out to her when she was fading into darkness?

"You really don't know, do you?" she said sympathetically.

"No…" he said, shaking his head, "I just found you here. And… you were fading. So I spoke to you, hoping you'll hear me…"

"I did," she said and then gasped, "You're the one who helped me fight away the darkness, weren't you?"

"Nope. You did that yourself! I was only standing by with moral support," he said, smiling.

_You know, the Riku that attacked Sora in Castle Oblivion never did smile_, she thought. He must be the real Riku! The one who was her friend…

Without a warning, Akyra sprinted up to him and hugged him. It happened so fast that even Riku was confused as to why she had done it.

"Hey, what's that for?" he asked.

"We looked EVERYWHERE for you. Then, when we finally find you, you disappear on us behind a door! Do you have any idea how that made us feel?" she said as she let go of him.

Riku could have sworn he saw a tear roll down her cheek. He nodded.

"Yeah. I've been looking everywhere for you too."

"You know, it's just great to see you again!"

"Same here. But… where's Sora? Weren't you with him?"

"Uh…" she muttered. Should she tell him? No. It would only bring back painful memories she'd rather forget.

"It's a long story…" she said softly, "So… where are you headed off to?"

"Back to Castle Oblivion. I'm searching for the Ki–"

"Can I tag along?" she asked suddenly.

Riku looked at her, confused. Shouldn't she be with Sora? But there was such a look of desire to travel with someone in her eyes that he just couldn't refuse. He nodded.

"Okay. It'll be nice not to travel alone for once."

"Yay!" she squealed.

"Come on. How about I race you to the exit?" he asked, pointing to a door down the beach.

"You're on!" she squealed again, speeding down the bridge without giving Riku a chance to catch up.

"Hey! I… Aw…" he shrugged as he ran after her, trying hard to reach the exit before she did…

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KHA: Whoo, that chappie was a doozy.  
(crickets chirp)  
KHA: O.o Why is everybody so bored?  
Akyra: (hums Sephiroth's theme)  
KHA: O.o (hums Sephiroth's theme) La la lalala BOOM lalala lalala La la lalala BOOM lalala lalala SEPHIROTH!  
Akyra: Dun dun dun dun!  
KHA: SEPHIROTH!  
Akyra: Dun dun dun dun!  
Sephiroth: NU! My theme song ish being ruined! (faints)  
Sephiroth Fangirls: EEEK! (tackle Sephiroth)


	29. This Is My Story

KHA: This chappie was supposed to come yesterday but I had to force Akyra to ramble at the end.  
Akyra: Say, are we having that party?  
KHA: What party? O.o  
Everyone: (partying)  
KHA: PARTY! Hey... Who stole the sugar? O.o  
Roxas: (whistles)  
KHA: O.O GET HIM! (chases Roxas)  
Roxas: (screams like a sissy)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. Or Roxas who is currently running for his life. GET BACK HERE OR SUFFER MY WRATH OF DOOM!

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"The island's breaking up!" Sora screeched.

The storm had become more violent than ever and he was having a pretty hard time keeping his balance amidst the gusting winds. The sun had quickly faded and was replaced by a dark orb while the ocean's waves crashed unmercifully against the beach. Sora was clinging on to a very shaky palm tree, afraid to be thrown in the ocean by the gusting winds. As he scanned the area for a way to escape, he saw his shadow rise from the ground, just as it did on that fateful night.

Darkside was back.

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"I have to keep her safe…" Sora told himself after having defeated Darkside. The storm had wrecked the islands so much that only a small platform with a couple of broken pieces of wood was all that was left of it. But he had no time to worry about his home. He had to protect Naminé.

"Naminé! Can you hear me?" he called out. Although he didn't get an answer to his call, he DID spot someone's figure in the distance.

"Naminé…" he sighed with relief as he ran towards the girl. Hearing Sora's footsteps, the blonde-haired girl turned around to face him, wearing a smile as bright as her white dress.

"Sora...you came for me," she said gratefully, looking into his sky blue eyes.

"Naminé… I…" he stuttered.

He couldn't seem to find the words to tell her. She looked very… different. Didn't she have pinkish purple hair? And purple gloves? And a yellow halter?

"What is it, Sora?" she asked playfully.

"N-nothing…" he said, "I just imagined you with dark pink hair, that's all…"

"Pink hair?" she giggled, "That's silly!"

Sora laughed.

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter… Naminé… finally… I've been through so much just to see you."

"I could say the same," she answered, her smile fading, "But I messed up. I really wanted to see you... but not like this."

"Not like what?" Sora asked gently, his voice full of concern.

"I was alone for so long," she explained, hanging her head in shame, "I couldn't bear it anymore... So I beckoned your heart to lead you here. And I'm so glad you found me. But your heart, I had to —"

"No, it's okay. I promised I'd protect you. That's why I came," Sora interrupted.

"Thank you," she said smiling. But her smile suddenly fell and she wore a very worried look on her face, "Oh, Sora, forgive me... I'm not supposed to be in this picture."

"She's right."

It felt so bizarre. Sora was positive that Naminé had spoken. Yet her lips didn't move and her voice came from another direction. Sora whirled around and, once he laid eyes on the new figure, he gasped. A second Naminé was strolling down the sandy platform, trapping Sora between both identical girls. Well… identical in a way. The second and newer Naminé seemed more real…

"Naminé!" he cried, quickly shifting his gaze between both girls.

"That's not me," the second Naminé said sternly, "I'm not in your heart. I'm not in anyone's heart. I never have been."

"What... What are you saying, Naminé? What's gotten into you?" he stammered, backing away from them, "We were inseparable! But then I lost you... I came here so I'd never lose you again!"

"Was it really me you came for?" the second Naminé asked.

"Of course!" he cried, rummaging in his pocket, determined to find what he was looking for. In a matter of seconds, Sora pulled out the prize. It was her star-shaped good luck charm, shining brightly from its silver shine.

"Look! You gave me this, didn't you? I may have forgotten things in this castle, but not you!" he said.

"You still have it! My good luck charm..." the first Naminé sighed happily.

"No, Sora! Don't believe me!" the second Naminé intervened.

"What am I supposed to do…?" Sora moaned, gazing down at the charm. His head was swimming in confusion as he looked back and forth from Naminé to Naminé.

"Think, Sora. Think of those who are most special to you!" Naminé cried, "See that faint glimmer way in the back of your heart? That's a piece of your memory, Sora. Call out to it! No matter how far away the light gets, your heart's voice will always reach it."

"But I already know who's most special to me," Sora argued, "It's you, Na —"

The area seemed a little brighter than it did before. In fact, it seemed a LOT brighter. Both girls, the remains of the island, everything… was being engulfed in a white light, leaving him alone in the area. He blinked. Why was there so much light? And why was Naminé's charm changing before his eyes? But most importantly, why did he suddenly have two charms? The first charm seemed to be a flower-shaped keychain with a little smiling face on one of its arms. The other was a simple, golden, hollow star, which was attached to a chain with a clasp, as if it were a necklace. Sora looked up. Both girls were gone. But other girls replaced them. One girl was smiling down on him, her short red hair fluttering in the wind. A white tank top, a bright purple skirt and a layer of necklaces replaced her white dress. She looked so familiar…

But the other one…

She looked as if she were hiding, not daring to reveal her face. Sora squinted but still wasn't able to see her face. All he could make out of her was her very weird hair color. It was pinkish purple…

"Huh?" Sora asked, snapping out of his dream-like state. The light had faded and he was back on the islands.

"Who... Who were they? I can't remember them, but…" he muttered, looking down at his possessions. He still held the flower-shaped charm but the star-shaped necklace had vanished. What was going on? Maybe Naminé could explain this to him… That's when he realized something was missing…

"Wait, what about Naminé? Where did she go?" he asked himself. Without a moment to lose, he darted off towards the exit, hoping to find Naminé in the castle.

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"This castle is so weird… Who would have guessed that the hallways in the basement and the upper levels looked EXACTLY the same?" Akyra remarked, twirling around to admire the view.

The basement hallways were Riku travelled through looked identical to the hallways Akyra had travelled through with Sora. They had the same columns, the same pearly-whiteness as well as identical marble flooring.

"You're kidding me?" Riku asked as Akyra shook her head, "They really look the same?"

"Yup! Which is totally weird since the black robed people seem to be obsessed with… erm… darkness," she replied.

As she said this, Riku looked away. Obsessed with darkness… yeah, that's exactly how he used to be. Obsessed with power, obsessed with greed… and obsessed with eliminating his friends. Those who stuck up for him through everything…

"No, Riku, that's… that's not what I meant," she pleaded.

"Don't worry about it," he answered, trying hard to smile, "It's not important…"

"But… if you don't mind me asking…" she began, "Can you explain why you attacked Sora and I on the upper floors?" Riku looked up at her in shock.

"No! I never came after you two! This is the first time I see you since we closed the huge door together!" he argued.

"Then… who was that?"

Riku put his finger to his cheek, deep in thought. He could swear he never went near Sora. Was it someone disguised as him? Or was it… That's it! It must be him!

"My replica!" he answered, "Vexen made a replica of me! An evil one for that matter…"

"So… There's another you running around the castle?" she asked.

Riku nodded. He seemed to know what he was talking about. Besides he has been super friendly these past few minutes. He just couldn't be that messed up replica…

"Okay, I believe you!" she said, grinning widely.

They continued to pace through the corridor in silence. You know, this kind of reminded Akyra of how quiet they used to get when they were walking towards a door to open a new world card… No, no, no! She wasn't going to think about this. But she had to break the tension somehow…

"So…" she began, "how did you end up here?"

"I don't know… I just woke up in here. I've been alone for so long, searching for the King, fighting off Ansem -"

"Ha ha! You're such a kidder!" Akyra chuckled, her smile quickly fading after a couple of seconds, "We defeated Ansem, r-right?"

"Yes, you did. But his shadow is still present in my heart. He keeps trying to drag me down… back into darkness…" he sighed.

"Wow…" Akyra said, surprised at how much Riku had to go through, "I- I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. I know how to fight him off now! All this time I've been pushing the darkness away but… I'm not supposed to. If I can use both the light and dark without being afraid, I can get rid of him. No, don't worry! I won't sink back into darkness again," he added once he noticed Akyra making a face at him.

"You shouldn't. You'll only end up hurting us…" she said.

"I know," he sighed, "Trust me I – Hey! Quit procrastinating!"

"W–What?" she asked, stunned by his sudden action.

"I told you my story and it's only fair you tell me yours! Why aren't you with Sora when you're supposed to be protecting him? And what is that red mark on your cheek? Tell me your story, Akyra."

Akyra frowned. He was asking her to relive the torment she went through. Was she really able to tell him everything without breaking into tears? There was only one way to find out.

"You want to know my story?" she asked, "Alright, here it is…"

Riku listened intently as Akyra drew a deep breath.

"After shutting the big door, we walked for eons and finally found this castle. I knew there was something strange about it but we had nowhere else to go. So, we ended up going into world cards of worlds we had supposedly already visited. But… we… we couldn't remember them at all. It made no sense. If we visited them before, we'd surely remember them, right? Anyways, one of those black robed people told us that "To find is to lose and to lose is to find". He was talking about our memories. The higher we went into the castle, the more we would lose. But… if we lost all those memories, we'd find something else…"

"You-you lost your memories?" Riku gasped.

"Yes. But peeling away the supposedly worthless memories would reveal something we longed for. That's when this whole mess started…"

She hung her head in sadness, not wanting to continue. But, for Riku's sake, she felt she had to.

"We forgot most of our memories. But something strange happened. Sora… began remembering things. He remembered a girl. He says her name is Naminé and she used to live on the islands with us before she moved away. According to him, we used to play together all the time and one night, he made a promise to her that he'll always protect her."

"Naminé?" Riku asked in confusion, "I don't remember a girl named Naminé living with us."

"Exactly! Neither did I! I forgot things but I never remembered. So, the more Sora rambled about Naminé, the angrier I got. I mean, if she was so important, how come I wasn't able to remember her? Anyways, with time, Sora became… obsessed over her. And the more he rambled, the more I ranted. I made sure he knew what I thought about Naminé. And trust me, Riku, they weren't pretty thoughts. I guess… I guess we both got on each other's nerves. Then, at some point, Sora just snapped. It was partly my fault since I was bashing Naminé but… it was insane. He punched me. Right at my cheek. And I punched him back."

Riku stared at her wide-eyed. She laughed. At least he was enjoying the story, right?

"After that, he sent me away, never wanting to see my face again. The only chance I had to fix things, I went after him and he… he… he…"

A tear welled up in her eye. She didn't think she could continue any longer.

"He said to me that he wanted to forget about me more than anything. Without me being by his side, I'm sure he'll end up forgetting about me as he climbs higher up the castle. Anyways, I ended up on Destiny Islands, where Zexion found it amusing to play stupid mind games with me… And, I guess that's where I met up with you."

As she finished, Riku dug into his pocket, pulled out a tissue and handed it to her. She took it without hesitation and brought it to her eyes, drenching it with tears. Riku looked at her sympathetically. He knew Akyra never cried that easily. Maybe this stung her more than anything else could have.

"Hey, cheer up! Where is that smiling Akyra I used know?" he asked her. She smiled uneasily.

"That Akyra's gone. She got locked outside the castle," she said, "But I'd love to see her again…"

"Then bring her back!" he argued.

"It's not that easy you know."

"Then make it easy. I know you can. All you have to do is know that you can do great things."

"You're starting to sound like Zexion now," she chuckled, "It's kinda scary."

"You know what I mean! I saw you fight darkness all by yourself. You're going to tell me that's not great?"

"Hmm… I'll consider it…" she said playfully.

"See? She's already coming back," he said. She laughed. You know, maybe she really can change things on her own. Maybe she even save Sora before it's too late. All right, that's going overboard. But maybe she really can!

"So, going back to your rambling…"

"Hey!" she pouted.

"Ha ha! Anyways, are you serious? Did you really lose most of your memories?"

It was hard, but she managed to nod. What if she forgot something important and he found out? Then what would happen?

"There has to be something you remember!" he pleaded.

"Yeah," she answered, "I remember everything that happened in this castle. I remember fighting off Ansem and closing the door on you and the King. Oh yeah! And I remember our home was called Destiny Islands and it looks like a huge beach. And… that's about it… I guess…"

"WHAT?" Riku gasped, causing Akyra to almost topple over in surprise, "That's it? You don't remember the worlds you visited? The adventures we had among them?"

"Nope. They don't ring a bell…" she sighed.

"You're really serious…" he answered. He can just tell she was serious. She didn't remember anything.

"How about Tidus, Selphie and Wakka? Our friends from the islands?"

"N-No…" she muttered softly yet sadly. Riku sighed. She has to remember this one last person.

"What about Kairi? Do you remember her?" he asked hopefully. Akyra looked away, thinking for a second. She shook her head, leaving Riku in disbelief.

"Well then…" he said sternly, snapping Akyra out of her saddened state, "I guess now we have to find the King, fight off Ansem AND find your memories."

"R-Really?" she asked with a grin.

"Of course," he replied.

"YEAH!" she squealed, skipping around in circles. You know, for a moment, she really thought Riku wouldn't understand. Now she was positive he wasn't that weirdo replica who continuously fights with Sora. So, they began marching down the hallway towards the next flight of stairs, Akyra smiling brightly.

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KHA: Alright, in case anybody couldn't guess, the star necklace that Sora was holding is the necklace Akyra wears. It vanished because, well, it's currently around her neck. XD And it really won't have any more significance until my KH2 ficcy.  
Akyra: You have to make me ramble, don't you?  
KHA: Eh... It keeps the drama.  
Riku Fangirls: DON'T YOU DARE GET ANY IDEAS! RIKU'S OURS!  
KHA: O.O (hides under bed)


	30. Returning Memories

KHA: WHOOT! Two chappies in one day! Fear me and my writing powers!  
Akyra: Fear me and my daydreaming-ness!  
Ansem: Fear me and MY ORANGE EYES!  
Roxas: (gasp) The eyes! The eyes! They're too... ORANGE! (faints)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. But I do own Akyra and her rambling. XD

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Sora ran up to Naminé after having exited his home. He realized something on his way out. Something important…

"Naminé!" he called as he approached the smiling blonde, "It's not you. The person most special to me – it's not you."

"No. The ones you care about... the ones who were always with you... your friends… It's not me. It's them," she said.

"But...who are they? I just... I can't think of their names. If they're so special to me, why can't I remember?"

Naminé hung her head in shame. She knew she had to tell him at some point. But why did that time have to come so soon?

"It's because I went into your memories and –"

"Let ME explain this."

Sora turned his head and Naminé poked her head upwards, taking a glance at who had just spoken. There, standing no more than a couple of feet away from them, was Riku. He clutched onto his shining blue sword, an evil grin painted on his face.

"Plain and simple," he began, "Your memory is a train wreck. You're not the one who's meant to protect Naminé – I AM. But you and your messed up memories always get in the way!"

He whisked his sword at Sora, who narrowly dodged it by an inch. He didn't want to fight Riku now… not with everything the way it was. And not in front of Naminé either. But he had no choice. He whipped out his Keyblade in fury, accepting Riku's challenge.

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"Okay, um… Truth or Dare?" Akyra asked.

Travelling through the basement hallway was rather uneventful. So, with a little pleading, Akyra finally convinced Riku they play a game to spend the time. What better game than Truth or Dare?

"I choose…" Riku thought, tapping the side of his lip in thought, "I choose Dare."

"Goodie! I dare you to…" she said, scanning the area. What could she possibly dare Riku to do in a place that's so… regular? "I dare you to burn a hole in the wall!"

"What?" Riku asked, looking at her with a sarcastic look of confusion.

"And it has to be big!" she continued, "And I have to be able to stick my head through it. All the way up to my neck, see?"

She pointed to her neck, making it clear to Riku that it had to be big. He rolled his eyes. You know, she could have come up with a better dare… So, without any further questions, he shrugged and, positioning his sword carefully to the wall, released the best fire spell he had. Akyra watched in amusement as Riku tried hard to burn even the smallest part of the wall. To tell you the truth, his fire spell wasn't that great comparing to a spellcaster's. This could probably take a while… Akyra walked up to the other side of the wall and sat herself down. You know, after everything she went through in the castle, she felt kind of sleepy. It wasn't long before she dozed off, leaving Riku to complete his dare alone…

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"Thank you, mister," little Akyra said in a squeaky voice. She was no older than seven years old and finally, that day had come. The day she would be able to buy her first ice cream cone with her own money.

"You're very welcome, little girl," said the shopkeeper as he handed Akyra a cone filled with scoops of ice cream. She dropped her munny into the shopkeeper's hands and skipped off towards the nearest bench, licking happily at her ice cream. Now she was finally old enough to buy sweet things for herself whenever she had enough munny. Like ice cream, for example.

She grinned a wide, toothy grin. For some reason, the ice cream tasted sweeter when she buys it with her own munny. She licked happily at her ice cream, failing to notice a pack of about four or five kids, no older than ten years old, approaching her. These kids were fairly nice but they DID love to taunt younger kids. Bullies, for that matter. And Akyra just happened to be a younger kid. With a very interesting ice cream cone.

"Hey lookie, guys!" said the oldest one, who also appeared to be the leader of their gang. Akyra looked up in fear. She knew they wanted her ice cream.

"Check out that hair! It's pink AND purple!" remarked a bully from the back of the pack.

"Hey, little girl," the leader bully said in a sickly sweet voice, "That ice cream looks good."

Akyra was trembling in her spot. But she bought this ice cream with her own money. It's special ice cream. She wasn't about to let them take it away from her without a fight.

"It's mine!" she barked.

"Hand it over!" the bully spat, advancing on her.

"NO!" she shrieked so loud that she was sure the townspeople had heard her.

The bully didn't want to negotiate. He quickly snatched the ice cream from her grip. It was quite a struggle because she didn't want to let go of it, but he managed anyways. He held up high in the air, much higher than she can possibly reach. She jumped up and down repeatedly, her arms spread high in the air but she was still too short.

"What's the matter, plum head?" the bully taunted, "You want your ice cream?" The bullies laughed loudly as they watched her struggle to reach it, jumping up and down non-stop.

"Give it back!" she cried.

"Hey! Go pick on somebody your own size!"

The bullies abruptly stopped laughing and Akyra quit jumping. Standing in the distance was another little boy who was exactly little Akyra's age. No older than seven years old. As they laid eyes on him, the bullies chuckled evilly and Akyra grinned. Why, it was none other than…

"Sora!" Akyra yelled happily at the sight of one of her best friends.

"Someone our own size?" the leader bully asked as he approached little Sora, "You mean like you?"

"Erm…" Sora muttered, shaking and staring wide-eyed at the bully. You know, at a distance, he could have sworn the bully looked much smaller…

"Scram, pipsqueak! We're handling the plum head!" the bully answered coldly.

"How 'bout I fight you for that ice cream!" Sora squeaked as he whipped a wooden sword. Ever since he had it carved, Sora would carry his wooden play-battle sword all over the place. He was quite attached to it.

"All alone? HA! You don't stand a chance against all of us!"

"He's not alone!" Akyra piped up. She dashed to join Sora's side, whipping out her play-battle fans in the process, "I'm fighting with him!"

"Would you look at that guys?" the bully taunted, pointing at the two children, "Another mouse to take care of! So, who'll be the first to go? How about you, small fry?"

The bully wore a frightening face as he approached the shaking Sora. With all the strength he had, Sora lifted his sword and brought it down on the bully as hard as he can. Unfortunately, he missed by a mile and ended up tumbling to the ground. The gang of bullies were howling with laughter. The leader bully gazed down at Sora, ready to finish off this pathetic wimp. He formed his hand into a fist and was prepared to slam it down on Sora's head. That is, until…

"I don't think so!" Akyra screeched, tossing one of her fans at the bully's face. It hit him right between the eyes. Throwing his hands over his eyes, the bully moaned in pain.

Sora took his chance. He quickly got up and lashed out the bully, smacking him hard with everything he had. Akyra sprinted forward to pick up her lost fan and joined Sora in the fight. It didn't take long before the bully realized he had had enough and stumbled clumsily to the floor, groaning in pain.

"Let's get out of here!" one of the members of the pack yelled, dropping Akyra's hard earned ice cream on the sidewalk and running as fast as his stubby legs could carry him.

"These kids are nuts!" yelled the leader bully, struggling to pick himself up off the ground and join his gang. It wasn't long before every last one of them had escaped, screaming in fright and terrified of two little seven year olds. Sora and Akyra jumped in the air and gave each other a high five as they sniggered like mad.

"Say, we make a pretty good team!" Akyra remarked to her friend.

"We sure do!" Sora agreed, "Did you see the look on that guy's face when you smacked him with your fan?"

"And did you see how fast the other bullies ran off when they saw you cream that guy?" Akyra added.

"See it? I thought I would die laughing!"

Putting their play-battle weapons away, the two kids trotted off together towards their boats, eager to tell Riku and Kairi what had just happened, chuckling and laughing for the entire trip to the island…

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"Akyra? Akyra, did you fall asleep on me? Earth to sleepyhead! The mother ship has landed…… AKYRA!"

Akyra woke up in a jolt. Opening her eyes lazily, she could make out the form of Riku even if her vision was still blurry.

"Did I really fall asleep?" she yawned.

"Yes…" Riku said, sounding rather annoyed, "I've been yelling random phrases at you for the past two minutes."

"I noticed…" she said sarcastically as she lifted herself up, "So, how about that hole in the wall?"

"I gave up. I swear these walls are fire-resistant…" he sighed. Akyra turned her head and gazed at the wall. It was just as smooth and white as before. There was absolutely no sign of any burn whatsoever.

"Whee!" she squealed as she jumped in the air, "You failed to complete a dare. And that means you owe me something!"

"But I don't have anything," Riku told her.

"Those are the rules!" she answered sternly. Riku sighed.

"I'll have to give you an I.O.U."

"That's okay. I've decided what I want from you anyways…"

Riku stared at her, confused. She was hoping he would do so. For an unknown reason, she was eager to tell him what she wanted from him.

"When we get back home," she began, "you owe me a cherry bomb!"

Akyra has loved cherry bombs for as long as anyone can remember. Whenever someone would want to give her something special, they couldn't go wrong with a cherry bomb. She adored that little chocolate truffle which held a cherry as well as cherry syrup in its core.

"Erm, Akyra… did it ever occur to you that when the islands disappeared, my fridge went along with them?" Riku asked, cocking an eyebrow. Akyra used to always raid his fridge for cherry bombs. It seemed to never run out of sweet, chocolaty goodness!

"Well, we'll just have to find your fridge now, won't we?" she responded.

"What if we never find it?" Riku asked, trying purposely to get on her nerves.

"I'll still want my cherry bomb…" she said after a quick thought.

"Alright, fine…" Riku sighed, defeated, "Your turn. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"What were you dreaming about before?"

"Huh?" she asked, puzzled by his question.

"Don't lie now! I saw you're eye twitching while you were asleep. You dreamt of something. What was it?"

"N-Nothing." "

Akyra… You can't lie in this game. Those are the rules," he said slyly. Okay, so Riku had a point. Then again she never really did have a choice. Riku was persuasive in getting answers from people.

"I dreamt of something that happened to us a long time ago," she began as she grinned, "Remember that time when Sora and I scared off those bullies? It was like I completely relived that moment! Gosh, I remember them running away from us every time they saw us walking down the school hallway! Kairi always stayed close to me because she was afraid they would pick on her. Gosh, she was really a creampuff back then… But it never mattered 'cause she always was one of my best friends…"

"Huh? W-wait a minute!" Riku stammered, "Did you say Kairi?"

Akyra looked at him as if he were crazy.

"You know another Kairi?" she asked.

"You didn't remember her before! Or anything else about the islands for that matter!"

Akyra's eyes widened. She forgot about Kairi. But, the memory of her is crystal clear in her mind!

"I… I remember them now!" Akyra cried, "Kairi… And Selphie, Tidus and Wakka! Boy, were they loud sometimes…"

"It seems the further we go, the more you remember," Riku guessed, thinking out loud.

"Then let's go further! Who knows what I'll remember?" she squealed.

"Okay, Akyra, let's calm down for a second –"

But it was no use. Akyra was already skipping up the stairs, humming a happy tune. Riku sighed and ran up to join her. He can't exactly blame her. To tell you the truth, if he ever figured out how to retrieve all the memories he supposedly lost, he'd be skipping up those stairs as well.

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Everyone: (going insane) (screech)  
KHA: O.o We need someone sane in this posse... NAMINÉ! GET OVER HERE!  
Naminé: Yes?  
KHA: Could you do me a favor?  
Naminé: Sure.  
KHA: Be sane. Be normal.  
Naminé: O.O Okay then...  
Everyone: (insane savannah jungle screeches)  
Naminé: O.o Help?


	31. Real or Fake, This Memory's Mine

KHA: This chappie lacks originality. And its nice and short, so the readers will be able to poke me with sporks afterwards.  
Audience: Your HEAD lacks a lot of things.  
Naminé: Sane... Sane... Must stay normal...  
Roxas: G-g-gosh... Hi, Naminé...  
Naminé: Howdy, Roxas! Sane... Must remain sane and normal...  
Roxas: O.O  
Akyra: Where's the Akyra-ness? (sob)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. Just Akyra and this bottle of blue nail polish! Gosh, that stuff smells bad...

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"Riku!" Sora called, jumping back to dodge Riku's attempt to throttle him. He and Riku had been battling for quite some time now. And without Donald and Goofy's help, Sora was close to throwing the battle. Yet Riku looked as if he was just getting started. Naminé whimpered and shut her eyes as she stood in the sidelines. She couldn't bear to see them fight… not again…

"Want some more?" Riku taunted. He slashed at Sora, who was sent flying across the room.

"Sora!" Naminé cried in agony as Riku carefully walked up to his target. Her voice was breaking, as if she was ready to cry.

"Looks like I win…" Riku said evilly, his eyes gleaming with pride.

"Stop! Riku, no!" Naminé pleaded but ended up being ignored.

"You're through, you fake!" he boomed, raising his sword in the air, prepared to strike the Keyblade Master. Sora shut his eyes. He didn't want to see Riku's joyous look as he destroyed him once and for all.

"I said, STOP!" Naminé shrieked.

The hall fell silent. Not even Sora's heavy breathing could be heard. Neither was the sound of Riku's sword slicing through the wind. Sora opened his eyes and looked up at his rival. Riku's sword had vanished along with his evil smile. He dropped his arms to his side, his face blank.

"R-Riku...?" Sora muttered, picking himself up.

He didn't answer him. Instead, he took a step back and fell over. Then again, he didn't fall over. It looked as if… as if he was deflating! He lay on the ground in a wrinkled mess as if he had been inflated with air. As if all this time he had been empty…

"Riku! RIKU!" Sora cried, looking sternly at Naminé with a worried look, "What did you do? What did you do to Riku?"

"She broke his heart. More like smashed it, really…" they heard a voice yawn. They were so busy worrying over Riku that they didn't notice the sound of Larxene's high-heeled boots as they violently tapped against the marble floors.

"Smashed!" Sora asked in shock, "But that means he's...he's..."

"Ah ha ha! You're so much fun to watch!" she cackled, "If it's Riku you're worried about, then worry no longer. Riku was never here."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked. She must be blind. Riku was right in front of them!

"You want me to tell you? Gee, I don't know... I just HATE spoilers..." she said sweetly as she walked closer to them.

"Quit playing games!" Sora snarled. Larxene rolled her eyes in disappointment.

"All right, have it your way. It'll kill you to hear this… but I can live with that. That thing lying there," she said, pointing to the crumpled mess that used to be Riku, "is a puppet Vexen made. Nothing more than a toy. It's laughable, really. It called you a fake, but IT was the fake one all along."

"A fake? A fake Riku!" Sora cried, not daring to believe her.

"Fake in every way," she said proudly, "It was only finished recently. And without any past, how could it remember anything? Its memories with Naminé were planted, not real. All this time it's been picking fights with you over bogus memories. Isn't that right Naminé? Behind that cute little face you do some awful things."

"No…" Sora muttered, clenching his fist with fury, "Not Naminé…" Larxene sighed. Boy, this was going to take a while…

"You are so STUPID," she yelled cruelly, "Don't you get it? Messing with people's memories is about all she's good at. She steps into people's hearts and rearranges their memory. If she wants, she can even draw new memories of things that never happened. The girl you've been dying to protect... is a manipulative witch who shackles people's hearts with phoney memories!"

"Then my memory... Everything I remember...it's..."

"Lies, lies. All lies!" she continued, scowling evilly at the Keyblade Master, "An illusion Naminé made. Binding you in the chains of your own memory was central to our trap. It makes me tingle to think how easily you were duped. This was our chance to make the Keyblade master our puppet! We nearly had you... But that jerk Axel used Naminé to wreck everything! He betrayed us!"

Naminé looked away, remembering her encounter with Axel. Larxene turned her regard to the other blonde, who was shaking with fright.

"You've been on to us since the beginning!" she growled at the teenager, "You've been using HER as a part of your sneaky plan too, haven't you? I'll take care of you later…"

Sora gritted his teeth with anger. How dare he speak to her that way? Even after everything that happened…

"You'll pay…" he muttered.

Naminé sensed danger. She knew how violent Larxene could get when she was angry. And Sora had been through so much just to see her… She couldn't let Larxene get to him. Not now. Not ever.

"Don't!" she screeched, running in front of Sora and blocking Larxene from him, "I won't let you!"

"Excuse me?" Larxene muttered angrily, "It's a little late to grow a conscience, witch. Last time I checked, YOU'RE the one who got him into this mess."

"I know, but…"

"I should tell you that I am in an EXTREMELY foul mood. Thanks to you, all our plans are toast!"

Larxene raised her hand and angrily slapped Naminé away, causing her to fall to the hard, cold floor. Sora cried out in shock.

"Naminé!" he yelled as he watched her fall.

"What what what?" Larxene asked in shock, her eyes widening as she watched Sora, "Do I detect DISTRESS? You don't even know her!"

"Maybe not," Sora muttered, gripping his Keyblade tightly, "But I still made a promise. I promised Naminé I'd keep her safe. Maybe my memories are fake. But they're still mine, and I'm gonna be true to them!"

If shock could kill, Larxene would have instantly died. After everything she had just said, everything she had just revealed… Sora still didn't understand. That's it; the big, bad secret was out. But Sora refused to understand. And, unfortunately for him, Larxene had a pretty short attention span. She let out a hearty yet cold laugh.

"What an idiot!" she boomed, "There is no promise, there never was! YOU ARE DELUSIONAL. Must you insist on playing the hero?"

Sora growled as he heard her speak. Man, was she rude…

"Oh, whatever. It's your funeral. Nighty-night, you sham!"

In a flash of darkness, Larxene summoned her weapons; razor-sharp throwing knives that were perfect for charging electricity, her specialty. Sora backed away in silence, chills running down his spine every time he saw one of her knives shining with sharpness. He gulped as she raised it in the air, cackling and preparing to toss it at him. There was nothing he could do now, nothing he could say…

And no one will come help him this time.

"W-What?" Larxene yelled. Sora quickly looked up. Someone had appeared in front of him and was pushing Larxene away with an oddly familiar weapon. And suddenly… he felt happiness. The kind of happiness he felt whenever one of his allies healed him.

"You have to go through us!" he heard a voice quack angrily. Sora smiled brightly. They've returned!

"Donald! Goofy! You came back?" he asked.

"Of course we came back. We were worried about you!" Goofy said cheerfully.

"We weren't about to let you have all the fun yourself!" Donald added.

"Right! It's always been the three of us..." Goofy agreed.

"And it always will be! Got that, Larxene?" Donald quacked, readying his staff as he scowled at her.

Larxene chuckled darkly. Even if the odds were against her, she was certain she would eliminate them in a heartbeat. She fiddled around with her throwing knives as bolts of electricity began circling around her, slicing through the ground as they danced.

"Have it your way," she said with an evil smile, "Thrice the pain for you means thrice the fun for me!"

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Zexion was NOT the type to panic. Even in an intense situation, he would keep his calm and analyze how to escape the problem as easily as possible. That's why, if you were in the room with him at this particular moment, you would gasp, cry, shriek, whatever with surprise. He paced around in circles, his eyes wide as beads of sweat covered his forehead.

"What, what IS he! No one's ever worn the darkness the way he does. It's NOT POSSIBLE!" he cried.

Suddenly, he felt a presence. Someone had entered and their sudden appearances only made him panic more.

"Waaah! Riku!" he shrieked with fear, covering his face. Axel and the Riku Replica stepped into the light, looking rather confused at the panicking schemer.

"Oh...Oh, yes, of course," Zexion said, sounding relieved, "Vexen's replica. Good thinking. We can use this Riku to defeat the real one. Axel?"

Axel merely smiled at him. A sly smile, for that matter. He put one of his gloved hands around Riku's shoulder and lowered his head to meet his. He whispered something loudly in his ear.

"Say, Riku," he began, "It must be hard now that you know you're not real. I bet you'd LIKE to be real."

"Yeah," said the replica as he nodded.

"Well, you can," Axel continued, "All you need is strength that the real Riku doesn't have. Get that, and you can be a new person, your OWN person. Not Riku, not anybody else. You won't be someone else's copy. You'll be you."

"Axel! What are you telling him!" Zexion asked loudly, his eyes widening.

"You know, I bet he's as good a place to start as any," he answered.

"Have you lost your mind!" he shouted. Axel merely shrugged.

"Sorry, Zexy. Saving you doesn't seem half as entertaining as observing Sora and Riku."

Axel turned around and exited the building, leaving Zexion alone with the replica. It smiled evilly and stretched its hand out to Zexion, preparing to absorb him and his power. Zexion shrieked in fright as the predator approached him.

"No… STOP!"

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KHA: Fear the shortness of this Akyra deprived chapter!  
Akyra Fanboys: O.O No Akyra? GAH! (chases authoress)  
KHA: (screams like a sissy) ( ish being chased by Akyra Fanboys)  
Audience: Akyra has fanboys? O.o Since when?  
Akyra: HEY!  
Roxas: Hey Naminé, want some ic cream?  
Naminé: Yeah!  
Akyra: Oh my gosh... Roxas just offered someone else some ice cream... It's a SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE! Everybody! To the bunker!  
Everyone: (scream)


	32. The Bet

KHA: This chappie... is basically a conversation between to little girls about which boy they like. XD  
Audience: You have GOT to be kidding me...  
KHA: The key word here is "LITTLE".  
Akyra: Oh great. Daydreaming again?  
KHA: You guessed it! XD  
Roxas: (stares at Naminé)  
Naminé: (stares in space) Must... remain... normal... Ah, froget it. Gimme some of that ice cream!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. I just own Akyra and her twisted memories. Mwhahaha!

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Larxene clutched at her chest, gasping for air just as Vexen had before fading away. This time, it was her turn to go, and never return again. Sora, Donald and Goofy watched proudly at the result of their arduous battle, which was Larxene kneeling on the ground, black particles of who she used to be scattering as she faded.

"No… Nooooo! I refuse to lose to a bunch of losers! I... I'm fading? NO… this isn't...the way I... I won't...ALLOW..."

Sora smiled as he saw her fade into nothingness. A fitting end for such a foul person.

"Gawrsh, you must be Naminé!" Goofy said happily as he turned to face the smiling girl, "We're friends of Sora, I'm –"

"Goofy, I know. And this is Donald," she interrupted.

"Gee, how'd you know?" Donald asked, scratching his head.

"Congratulations, Sora! You finally found your friend," Goofy said, shaking Sora's hand.

"Hmm, where to begin..." Jiminy said from the top of Donald's head, pulling out his journal in the process, "Naminé, I know it's not easy, but could you tell us what's going on?"

"I don't mind," she said cheerfully, "It's my fault, after all. I took the people and memories in Sora's heart...and little by little replaced them with false memories that I made."

"So the promise Sora made to keep you safe..." Donald thought out loud.

"It was all a lie. Sora never promised me anything. Me being on the islands… that was a lie, too. This is our first meeting. I was never Sora's friend..."

"You were never anything...more than that, either..." Sora said sadly.

"I'm sorry. In your true memories, I was never there," she sighed.

"So you're the reason the rest of us lost our memories, too. Can we ever get them back?" Jiminy asked hopefully.

"Not right away," she answered quickly, shaking her head, "If we go to the thirteenth floor I can fix everything. But Marluxia..."

"Is that the person who made you tamper with our memories?" Jiminy asked. Naminé frowned and nodded.

"He said he'd keep me locked away in this castle forever if I didn't obey. I've been alone for so long..."

"So you did as you were told because you were lonely…" Goofy sighed, realizing the truth.

"I'm...I'm so sorry..." she sighed. She really did look like she was about to cry. What she did was pretty unforgivable but… she had a good reason to do it. And seeing her cry broke Sora's heart in a way. You know, it kind of reminded him how sad he felt whenever he saw one of his friends cry. Although he's never met her before, he still felt like he'd known her forever.

"Don't be. Please don't cry…" he pleaded softly.

"I know," she choked, wiping a tear from her eye, "I don't have the right."

"That's not what I meant!" Sora said, "Look...I'm really not happy about you screwing around with my memories. But you know, I can't really get mad at you, either. These memories that you gave me... In my head I know they're lies, but they still... feel right. Like my promise. I said I'd protect you... that I wouldn't make you cry... So if you cry now, I feel guilty. Like I let you down somehow. So please...don't cry. Don't apologize. Until I get my memory back, smile, laugh, be happy. It's easier on me that way."

"Goofy, don't you think he's laying it on a bit thick?" Donald asked as Naminé smiled.

"I don't know," he sniggered, "Sora's always like this around girls, a-hyuck!"

"Shut up, you two! I thought you lost your memories!"

"Friends don't forget things like that!" said Donald, smiling brightly.

"Gimme a break..." Sora sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. Naminé giggled loudly, amused by their teasing.

"There! That's it!" Sora said suddenly, "That's the Naminé I remember. I used to really like it when you smiled. I mean, in my fake memory. But what I'm felling now isn't fake. It's real."

"You're sweet, Sora," she said happily, _And I can see why she likes you so much…_

"Well, we've still got work to do!" he concluded, raising his Keyblade in the air.

"Yeah, let's go get our memories back!" Donald cheered, raising his staff alongside him.

"Marluxia is up there, so you'd better stay here, Naminé," said Goofy.

"Yeah," Sora agreed with a nod, "Could you look after Riku for me? We'll come get you after this is over."

"Okay. Be careful, Sora."

"I'll be fine..." he said, smiling brightly at her, "I promise!"

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"Remember anything new?" Riku asked.

"Nope…" Akyra answered.

"How about now?"

"Zilch."

"Now?"

"Seriously, Riku, you're worse than me!" she yelled.

"Sorry…"

Ever since that sudden remembrance of her lost memories, Akyra walked faster through the hallway, checking now again to see if she remembered anything new. Riku kind of hoped she'd remember things too. Partly because he was tired of running down the hallways.

"It's okay…" she said happily, "I'm glad you did it, though. I didn't realize how annoying I was whenever I did that…"

Back on the islands, Akyra used to always be impatient. She would ask "Now?" every couple of seconds, thinking that repeating a same word would make whatever she was waiting for come faster. Although she never understood why everyone got so mad at her whenever she did that…

"You know, maybe talking about your newfound memories will help you remember the rest of them faster," he suggested. Akyra smiled. She was happy that Riku wanted her to regain her memories just as much as she did.

"Okay… Erm… What do I start with?" she asked.

"I don't know. Tell me about Kairi."

"Kairi? I remember everything about her!" she squealed, "We met the moment she moved to the islands and when we did, we knew we were going to be best friends!"

"Okay, now you're sounding like a little kid," Riku sighed.

"Why not?" she argued, "We WERE little kids back then. Anyways, when you and Sora were in your 'girls are icky' stage, we used to spend every day together. That's kind of why were so close. We used to laugh together all the time and share our most deepest, darkest secrets and –"

She suddenly stopped. Her face went blank and her gaze mounted to the ceiling. Riku watched her in confusion as she stared into space.

"Akyra? You still with me?" he asked.

"Deepest, darkest secret…" she muttered.

"Huh?" he asked, starting to become a little nervous.

"It's just… I feel like I made a promise to her… A promise I would never break…"

"Promise…" Riku muttered, "What kid of promise?"

Akyra released her gaze from the ceiling. With her right hand, she clutched the star-shaped pendant of her necklace as she looked directly at the wall beside her.

_Deepest… darkest… secret…_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

A twelve-year-old Akyra sat comfortably on the long bridge connecting the big island with the small one. The soft breeze ruffled her shoulder-length hair as she watched Sora and Tidus play-battling on the beach below. Sora was creaming him good. Then again, he WAS a much better player than Tidus. As she watched Sora narrowly avoid Tidus' attack, a twelve-year-old Kairi came walking down the bridge and casually took a seat next to one of her best friends. Yet, Akyra didn't seem to notice her arrival.

"Well, well… Look who I found staring all google-eyed at Sora!" she said triumphantly.

"SHH!" Akyra shushed. She would die if anyone ever found out about her crush.

"Oops…" Kairi giggled softly, "It looks like you really do like him… a lot?"

Akyra turned around and gave Kairi a 'well-what-do-you-think?' look. You know, she had told Kairi this secret ages ago and yet she still teased her about it. Kairi chuckled slightly when she saw her friend's expression and looked away. With a heavy sigh, she said, "That's what I was afraid of…"

Akyra's head jerked up when she heard this. What did Kairi have to say that was so frightening? Was there a shortage of water back home? Was someone hurt or sick? Or… destiny forbid… the factories decided not to make any more cherry bomb treats!

"What's wrong?" Akyra asked sympathetically, hoping this conversation had nothing to do with that last guess about the cherry bombs.

Kairi scanned the areas for a moment. Then, she grabbed Akyra's arm and whispered, "Not here…" She pulled them both to their feet and ran down the bridge, motioning her to follow. Akyra sighed and smiled. Kairi did this every time she felt she had some secret information so secret that nobody else was allowed to hear it. She would lead her behind the seaside shack beside the waterfall and make sure that they could not be seen or heard. And, just as Akyra guessed, today was no different. She stood beside Kairi behind the shack, the sound of the water crashing to the ground drowning any sound they made.

"Akyra…" she began, looking rather uneasy, "You have to swear to me that you will never repeat what I'm about to tell you…"

"Are you saying that I can't keep a secret?" she asked, folding her arms.

"No, but you do have a tendency to reveal some secrets…"

"I've never done such a thing!" Akyra argued. Kairi sighed.

"You did last week, with Selphie's secret…"

"That one wasn't as important…" she explained truthfully, "The deepest, darkest ones, I always keep secret!"

"Right…" Kairi said, rolling her eyes, "I bet you can't keep **my** secret for more than a day."

"I'm willing to take that bet!"

"Fine! If you can keep my deepest, darkest secret for exactly three years, I'll give you a cherry bomb."

"You're on!" Akyra said playfully, shaking Kairi's hand. But Kairi's happy expression quickly faded and was replaced by that worried one she wore before.

"What's wrong?" Akyra asked intently, "Is your secret really that scary?"

"No…" she answered uneasily, "It's… not that…" She looked up at Akyra, who was giving her her full attention. Gosh, she's really determined to keep this secret safe, or else she wouldn't be listening so intently.

"Akyra… I think I…" Kairi stammered, "How do I say this… I think… I think I have a crush on Riku!" she said rather suddenly.

Akyra blinked. Then blinked again. And blinked a couple more times, her eyes widening more and more every time she blinked.

"…Wow…" was all she managed to say. You know, she really wasn't expecting this. But she couldn't say she was really surprised. These past days, Kairi did seem to be attached to someone but Akyra hadn't figured out whom yet. For Kairi to tell her such a thing must mean that she trusts her greatly, just as Akyra had done when she told her about Sora.

"Please don't tell anyone!" Kairi pleaded.

"Don't worry, I won't!" she assured her, "I just don't understand why that's so frightening…"

"Oh… yeah…" Kairi said uneasily, "About that… Th-there's something else too…"

Something else? What could there possibly be? Akyra approached her, listening carefully. What Kairi had to say better not be something bad about those cherry bomb treats…

"Akyra… see… you know I think I have a crush on Riku but…" Kairi hesitated, "I-I think there's someone else who… who has a crush on me."

Akyra smiled. Wasn't that just cute?

"Ooh!" she squealed, "A love triangle! Aren't you lucky?"

"No! You don't understand!" Kairi interrupted but her pleas were ignored. Akyra continued with her teasing.

"Is he cute? Is he sweet? Is he the most marvellous person in existence?" she asked with a sly smile. Bugging Kairi was so much fun!

"It's Sora!" Kairi squeaked, covering her ears.

The air went silent, free of the sounds of Akyra's teasing. Her face fell as she looked away. She wasn't expecting this and, to tell you the truth, even if she was she still wouldn't have wanted to hear it. You know, maybe she would have preferred that cherry bomb incident to this story…

"Akyra, I…" Kairi said sympathetically, "I'm so sorry…"

Akyra looked up at her, but she wasn't wearing a frown like Kairi had expected. After all, she did crush her hopes. But, to her surprise, Akyra was smiling!

"It's no big deal," she said brightly.

"B-but I –! You said you –" Kairi stammered. How could she be happy?

"Of course! I know what I said…" Akyra explained, "And I am a little sad that he doesn't have a crush on me but still… It's not your fault."

Kairi paused for a second, listening intently to her speech. Okay, Akyra's usually super happy. But doesn't she ever get sad over anything?

"Besides, I completely understand why he chose you," she continued, "You're pretty, sweet, friendly and caring… you're perfect! Sure, I would have liked it if he had chosen me but he's one of my best friends. I want the best for him. And I'm happy he chose you. At least he IS getting the best."

"Do you mean that?" Kairi asked softly.

"Of course! But I wonder how you'll break it to Sora when you tell him that you –"

"Not so loud!" Kairi yelled.

"Sorry… But still, it'll all work out okay in the end… trust me…"

Akyra smiled and whirled around, preparing to leave. Kairi knew there was some truth in what she said. Yet, she still wasn't convinced by her smile.

"Akyra?" she asked.

"Hm?"

"If ever there's something bothering you or anything like that… I'm here for you. You'll come talk to me, right?"

"Of course. You know I will," Akyra said softly, a little confused by Kairi's concern.

"Friends Forever?" Kairi asked, holding out her little finger. Akyra smiled.

"Friends Forever!" she said.

They intertwined their little fingers and shook their palms. Sure, it was a weird way to make a promise. But it was still engraved in their hearts, no matter what signs they used to prove it was there.

As Kairi got up to leave, Akyra sat in their little, secluded place for a moment. Kairi had crushed practically all her hopes. But she had to think positive! It could be worse; for all she knew, evil shadow creatures could come and attack the islands at any second! Then again, she might have preferred the shadow creatures attacking the islands rather than having her hopes crushed by one of her own friends…

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KHA: Aw... aren't they cute?  
Audience: -.- This is pathetic...  
Naminé: Erm, Roxas? O.O Why is your hair pink?  
Roxas: AIN'T IT SASSY? (cheesy grin)  
Naminé: O.o Erm... (slowly backs away)


	33. Rid Us Of Our Traitors

KHA: A slight warning. This chappie contains a LOT of Mary- Sueness...  
Audience: It just gets from bad to worse. -.-  
KHA: Sorry peeps, but I had to put it in if I want the story to make sense at the end.  
Audience: Don't call us peeps...  
KHA: Gosh, everybody seems so mad... we need some cheering up!  
Audience: Don't even think about it!  
KHA: (comes out wearing a banana suit) IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME! IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME! PEANUT BUTTER JELLY!  
Audience: So... much... randomness! (faints)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. I don't own the "It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time" song; that belongs to its rightful owners at Family Guy. I own Akyra. YA! I do own something...

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"Another daydream?" Riku asked as Akyra was snapped out of her dreamy state. Riku was used to it. Usually she would go off in a trance and daydream about something random that happened a long time ago. It was pretty annoying for him but at least she would remember a part of her memories every time she fell in a trance.

"I made a promise to Kairi that we'd be friends forever…" Akyra sighed, "And we made a bet. If I can keep her deepest, darkest secret for three years, she would give me a cherry bomb! Only one more year to go…"

"Secret, huh?" Riku said slyly, "What kind of a secret?"

"I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING!" she screeched.

"Okay, how about a hint?" he compromised, "A little, tiny, puny, minuscule…"

"Riku…"

Riku stopped. He scanned the area closely, his eyes catching every glimpse of the room.

"Akyra, did you say my name?" he asked.

"Nopsie," she answered, "Why?"

"Riku…"

"Whoa!" Akyra shouted, alert. Someone was calling his name… but Akyra wasn't able to recognize his voice. She was positive she had heard it before but…

"Who's there?" Riku called angrily, "Of course… That voice… Ansem!"

"ANSEM?" Akyra screeched, whipping out her staff.

"I know you can feel it, Riku – the grip I have on your heart. You've let the darkness in. And all-consuming darkness is what your heart shall become!"

"I'm not like that anymore!" Riku shrieked.

"I think you are…" the voice of Ansem said softly.

Riku slowly backed up, his face covered in fear. He sped up. Soon he was scurrying to rejoin Akyra, who was standing a short distance from him. In no time at all, he found himself running towards her, stretching out his arm as if catching her would make Ansem disappear. But, before he was able to join her, he was suddenly being lifted into the air, floating gently like a cloud in the sky.

"I… I can't move!" Riku yelled.

"The deeper the darkness runs in you, the stronger I become," said Ansem, "Controlling your body is an effortless task."

As he said this, his voice grew stronger and clearer. Soon enough, the real Ansem had appeared, summoning darkness and advancing on his prey, wearing a hungry smile. Although he wasn't able to move, Riku still managed shift his gaze towards Akyra. Her face was covered with fright as she tightly gripped her staff, shaking in her spot. He may not be able to save himself this time, but he could save Akyra.

"Akyra, run!" he warned. She immediately nodded and prepared herself to scamper off to safety before being distracted by something shiny. Something shiny? Oh, never mind… It was just the brightness of the castle walls reflecting onto her Staffblade.

Staffblade… Akyra suddenly stopped. She gazed down at her staff as it shone brilliantly before her eyes. The symbol of loyalty and protection to the ones she loved…

Run away… That's all she ever knew how to do. She ran away from all her troubles, all her problems and all her battles, hoping that time would erase them. And now, she had the chance to run away again. Again and again and again…

She gazed at Riku, who was struggling to free himself from Ansem as he summoned a dark ball of energy. He needed help fast. He needed a friend. Akyra scowled. She won't run away. Not as long as she wields this staff. And even then, she wouldn't run. The staff chose her for a reason, right?

"No…" she said loudly, "I won't run away! Not again!" S

he bolted towards Ansem just as he was about to release his ball of energy.

"So, darkling!" she taunted, skidding to a halt between him and Riku, "I hear you're a denizen of the dark! You're not afraid of the light now, are you?"

She twirled her staff into the air, a bright light glowing from the tip. As the light grew brighter, she slashed the energy ball with a couple of swings, the light from her staff causing it to disintegrate into the air.

"YOU!" Ansem called furiously, "Your light is dim and weak! It has no place here!"

"My light may be weak but as long as I stand between you and Riku, it shall not let you pass!" she screeched, positioning herself for battle.

"You understand nothing!" he roared as he summoned more darkness with a wave of his hand.

"True as it may be, there is still something I understand. Sora once said that he doesn't need a Keyblade; his friends were his power. The same goes for light, Ansem! As long as I stand as their defender, my friend's light will help me stop you!"

"What light?" Ansem taunted, "Riku is nothing but a puppet, destined to sink back into darkness!"

"He won't! Not if I have something to say about it!" she screeched. Ansem effortlessly sent a dark energy blast at her. Luckily, she was able to push some of it back with her staff. But the darkness was too thick. It blinded her sight and made her weak. Just as it did on the islands… Maybe she wasn't able to hold off Ansem after all…

Suddenly, a bright light filled the room. Akyra's vision cleared and Riku slowly drifted back to the ground. It made no sense. Akyra surely wasn't able to obtain so much light in such little time. Someone else had come to aid her.

"Gaah... You, interfering again!" said Ansem as he slowly faded away along with his darkness. Akyra walked over to Riku and asked if he was all right.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" he sighed, "But how did you do that?" Akyra shrugged her shoulders. Something helped her, that's for sure…

"Golly, I'm glad I made it in time! That should keep Ansem tied up for a while," said an oddly squeaky yet familiar voice, "Sorry I couldn't come sooner, Riku."

Riku gasped. He could have sworn he would never come back! Yet here he was, standing before him and speaking as if he'd never left.

"Your Majesty, it's you!" Riku yelled in delight. The mouse's round ears twitched as he yelled.

"You betcha!" he answered.

Akyra stared wide-eyed at him, not daring to believe who he was. This was the king whom Donald and Goofy spoke of frequently; this is the king who closed the door to darkness along with Sora!

"Your Majesty!" Akyra squealed joyfully, kneeling to the ground and giving a deep bow.

"It's okay, you don't have to do that," King Mickey said as he helped her to her feet, "I saw what you did earlier. It took a lot of courage to stand up to Ansem the way you did, Akyra."

"No, Your Majesty, the thanks should go to you," she said politely, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to hold him off of Riku at all."

"But it was still an act of courage, Akyra. By the way you can call me Mickey instead of – Riku? What exactly are you doing?"

Riku had been tugging at Mickey's ear and cheek with a wide, playful grin.

"Ha ha, this time you're real. No illusions. I'm so glad you came!" he said excitedly.

"I promised, didn't I?" Mickey said as he smiled.

"But how did you get here, Your Majesty? I thought you were really far away."

"This card showed me the way," Mickey said as he held up a card, "I was lookin' for the way out of the realm of darkness, and then this card came along. As soon as I picked it up, it showed me your heart, waaay out beyond the darkness. And that's how I tracked you down. I guess the card thought it belonged with you."

"Maybe you're right…" Riku chuckled as he picked up the card from Mickey's hand.

"Hold on a second!" Akyra intervened, "I've seen that card before!"

Riku and Mickey looked up at her with shocked looks. They both cried, "You have?" at the exact same time.

"Yes," she continued, "Sora was given this card when I was still travelling with him. This was the place where Axel got rid of Vexen once and for all. It was supposed to conceal something of Sora's but… I can't be sure what it was…"

"Let's go inside and find out!" Riku said boldly. With a wide grin spread across their faces, the three of them marched off, seeking a door that would bring them into the world card.

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"Who was it? If it wasn't Naminé, then who gave me this? It's no use…" Sora sighed as he gazed longingly at the flower shaped charm in his palm. Oh darn, it was on the tip of his tongue…

"Can't you remember?" Donald asked.

"I only remember Naminé. Do either of you remember anything?" he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"No, nothing. I think Goofy and I are supposed to be looking for someone important, too. But I can't remember..." Donald answered, "Um...you know, I'm just a teeny-weeny bit...scared."

"Then let's make a promise!" Goofy piped up, "It's easier to face the scary stuff when you've got a promise to keep!"

"So it's like...courage."

"That's a great idea! So...what should we promise?" Donald asked.

"That's easy!" Goofy said cheerfully as he pulled his hand out to the center of their circle, "No matter what happens… even if we end up far apart or forget each other..."

"All for one and one for all," said Sora as he placed his hand on top of Goofy's.

"And that's a promise!" Donald said with a wide grin as he placed his feathery hand above theirs. A moment of silence passed as Sora and Goofy waited for Donald to lift his hand from the stack so they can continue their journey. But Donald didn't budge. It sort of seemed like he was waiting for someone…

"Erm… Donald?" asked Sora, "Shouldn't we get going?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah!" Donald agreed.

"Then why aren't you taking your hand off of ours?" Sora asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Well, it kind of felt like someone else was supposed to put their hand on top of mine, that's all…" Donald explained.

"Someone else? But Donald, there's no one else with us," Goofy said, "And no one else to make a promise to."

"I know," Donald quacked, "It's just a feeling I got…"

"You're probably just tired," Sora concluded, "Come on, let's go get rid of Marluxia once and for all!"

The three of them cheered merrily as they trotted off down the hallway, the promise they made leaving a print in their hearts. Little did they know that a couple of steps below, a rather unwelcome, brown haired guest wielding a sharp, pink scythe popped in on Riku and Naminé…

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"You're a fool among fools to show your face here, traitor!" Marluxia growled. He had been alone in the room for quite some time before Axel entered. Yet, Axel seemed rather calm and collected compared to Marluxia, who was steaming with rage.

"Traitor? I don't know what you're talking about," Axel said lazily.

"Why did you let her go? You and your cursed meddling! He was ours! The Keyblade master could have been our slave!"

"Right, your big plan," Axel mocked, "You use Naminé to rewrite Sora's memory piece by piece. He becomes her puppet. Then, using Naminé and Sora, you and Larxene overthrow the Organization. Did I get it right? 'Cause that would make YOU the traitor, Marluxia. Not me."

"But you eliminated Vexen!" Marluxia hollered.

"Yeah, come to think of it. So what? All I did was weed the garden. And I had to be sure you two trusted me…"

"I see... a double agent. You've been investigating our conspiracy from the start!" Marluxia said, scowling with anger.

"Moving on... I believe you ordered me to 'rid us of our traitors,'" Axel said. He waved his hands and produced a light cycle of fire, which soon dimmed to reveal his spiked weapons, "And I always follow orders, Marluxia."

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KHA: Alright I lied... That was an OVERLOAD of Mary Sueness... But Akyra had to learn that lesson about standing up for what's right instead of running away. SHE HAD TO, YOU HEAR?  
Everyone: (cowers)  
KHA: There. My point ish clear... (steals ice cream)  
Roxas: (steals cookies)  
Naminé: (steals chapter)  
KHA: NU! The chappie! (sobs)


	34. I'm Coming Back For You

KHA: I don't know what's going on. The fanficcy site won't let me upload more than one chappie per day. (sob)  
Audience: You know, for once, that's a pretty good excuse... You're getting better at lying, KHA. We were almost fooled by that...  
KHA: O.O  
Akyra: Almost close to the end of Sora's story! (gasp)  
Roxas: Cool! (grabs GBA and plays)  
KHA: (eye twitch) Can I play?  
Roxas: NO!  
KHA: PLEASE? I'm rotting here! Can't I just play a for a minute? (sob)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. I don't own a GBA either. (sob)

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"Larxene paid the price for disloyalty," Axel said as his weapons flared wildly, "You're next, Marluxia. In the name of the Organization you betrayed, I will annihilate you!"

Marluxia wore a sinister smile on his face. Obviously Axel wasn't the only one who can deceive.

"Go ahead!" he threatened, "Strike!"

With a short wave of his gloved hand, something was beginning to come into view before him. As the fuzziness of the image disappeared, Naminé was seen standing between the two black robed members, her dark eyes filled with fright.

"What kind of game is this?" Axel growled in fury, "You think cowering behind Naminé will stop me? Think again. Your little mascot can keep you company in the void. Farewell, Marluxia!"

"Oh, I think not…" Marluxia said joyfully, turning his head to face the hallway, "Are you listening, Sora?"

No sooner had he finished uttering his words when Sora, Donald and Goofy scuttled up the staircase and into the hallway. As Sora approached the three others, his Keyblade resting on one of his shoulders, Marluxia took his chance to say, "Sora! Axel is willing to harm Naminé just to get at me! Destroy him!"

Sora flipped his weapon off his shoulder and bolted down towards Naminé. He didn't care who he struck. If he can get Naminé out of there, the other two didn't matter. But, the moment he reached for her, Marluxia had grabbed her by the arm and they both vanished into thin air, leaving the trio alone with Axel.

"Well, well, Sora. Marluxia made you his puppet after all…" Axel remarked.

"Never…" Sora murmured, "After I finish you, he's next."

"Hmm… Listen, Sora," Axel said, holding up his circular weapon, "We've got more in common than you think. I'd rather not fight you... but I do have a reputation to think of!"

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After an intense battle, the score was still a tie. Both Sora and Axel looked exhausted from fighting but Sora was determined to eliminate every member of this black robed society.

"You're not half bad, Sora," Axel said with a grin, "Looks like it was worth saving your hide after all."

"Saving me?" Sora asked, repositioning himself from his battle stance, "What do you mean?"

"Sorry..." he said as he cocked an eyebrow, "I'd hate to kill the suspense."

"Axel!" Sora cried. His cry was ignored as Axel vanished instantly into thin air.

"Come on, guys. Let's keep moving," Sora said as he paced down the hallway towards the last flight of staircases in the castle. The others nodded and followed him, preparing themselves to confront the keeper of that very castle.

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As intended, the last flight of stairs was the steepest and tallest in the entire castle. Why was it always the last one that was the worst? The world may never know. Yet the trio managed to pull themselves up to the final step, panting heavily.

"So you've destroyed Axel. You have my thanks, Sora," Marluxia said calmly once he caught sight of them, "Or perhaps I should thank the power of the Keyblade. How I long to make it my own and have the Organization at my mercy!"

"Get real, Marluxia. Let Naminé go!" Sora ordered, gripping his Keyblade tightly.

"You cannot win as long as she is in my hands," Marluxia said softly as he turned to face his prisoner, "Naminé... Erase Sora's memory!"

"But...if I do that..." she said softly, lowering her gaze to the ground.

"Yes," said Marluxia, sounding amused, "If you uproot the memories you planted... then Sora's heart will collapse and all his memories will be torn asunder!"

"Sora's heart…" Goofy said so softly that it sounded like his voice would break.

"…Collapse…?" Donald finished, his eyes wide with shock.

"I'd prefer the Keyblade master unmarred," Marluxia said casually, "...but even a riven heart can be rebuilt with time. Sora will yet be my slave. Do it, Naminé! Obliterate his memory!"

"No!" Naminé yelled proudly, scowling at the person who had held her prisoner for so long. Sora, Donald and Goofy couldn't believe her sudden reaction. Naminé seemed so… docile and quiet. The fact that she was standing up to Marluxia and risking her own freedom touched their hearts.

"Sora forgave me even though I deceived him. I could never break his heart! I don't care what you do to me. I won't hurt Sora!" she cried.

"Then you'll pay the price…" Marluxia growled softly, his eye twitching with fury as his burning eyes pierced the air. Sora looked to his right and to his left. Both Donald and Goofy were prepared for battle, standing by his side like they always have. Sora looked at them for a moment and smiled. Marluxia can't force Naminé to do anything. And even if he did, it wouldn't matter. Not if his friends stood by his side!

"Do what he says, Naminé! I don't care! Erase my memory!" Sora said boldly, keeping his voice strong.

"Sora, what are you saying?" Goofy asked in shock.

"Who am I going to look after if I don't have you?" Sora continued, looking directly at her, "Do it, Naminé! Erase my memories, break my heart... I'll still have my promise. I'll still protect you!"

"Sora…" Naminé sighed.

"I don't need my memory to take on Marluxia…" Sora continued.

"Yeah! Even if Sora forgets, we won't!" Donald said courageously.

"All we gotta do is remember for him!" Goofy added.

"With everyone else's memories, I can piece my own together again in no time!" Sora finished, leaving Marluxia looking stunned.

"Ignorant fools!" he boomed, growing increasingly annoyed by Sora's boldness, "If Naminé destroys your memory, you'll be naught but a lifeless shell. Your heart will be unable to feel, to care! Just like that pathetic imitation of Riku."

"Guess again!"

Within the blink of an eye, Riku came soaring from behind Sora and struck Marluxia with such a force that Naminé could swear the ground shook. Marluxia was sent flying across the room before crashing at the foot of the wall, his eyes flickering dangerously with anger. Riku flipped his sword and hung it to his side, a look of triumph in his eyes as he watched Marluxia suffer.

"Riku!" Sora called.

"No, not Riku. Just someone's pet project," he sighed sadly.

"But...you're an empty shell! You've been stripped of all you had!" Marluxia roared as he picked himself up and once again approached the group.

"What did I ever have?" Riku asked coldly, readying his sword once again, "My body and heart are fake. But there's one thing you can't take from me anyway... even if it is a lie! I will protect Naminé. Phantom promise or not, it's MY promise!"

Marluxia growled with fury as he watched the five figures. He stuck out his hand and, in a pale flash of light, he summoned a sharp, pink scythe about as tall as he was, if not, taller. He swung it dangerously through the air, only narrowly missing Sora by an inch. He grinned cynically and was prepared for battle.

"Know your place! You would chain your heart with false memories? Cast your heart's freedom aside?" he snarled, "You turn from the truth because your heart is weak. You cannot defeat me!"

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"I hate this castle. The only time we can't find a door is when we're actually LOOKING for one," Akyra complained. For the longest time, the three of them had been hunting around for a way to enter the world card that Mickey had given them. But they had no luck and Akyra was growing increasingly frustrated.

"Don't get depressed," Riku said, "we'll find one sooner or –"

"Found it!" Mickey squeaked from the other side of the hallway. The others turned around and gazed at the door, smiling brightly. It was a brilliant white door, similar to the ones they had seen before. In fact, Riku and Akyra were surprised that they didn't notice it before, judging by its height.

"Let's go inside!" Mickey cheered.

"We will," Riku assured them, "just as soon as I – huh?"

Riku had a suspicious look on his face. Slowly but surely, he sniffed the air attentively. The other two kept quiet, wondering what he could have possibly smelled this time.

"That scent…" he sighed, "It's a very strong one. And dark… Someone is gathering all their strength. They're probably preparing for a battle. Say, Akyra? How many black robed people did you meet that are probably still alive?"

"Well, there was that scum, Larxene, and Marluxia, the keeper of the castle," she answered, still oblivious to what Riku might be smelling.

"No… it can't be Larxene… She was eliminated," Riku continued, "Yes, that scent must be Marluxia. He's preparing to attack someone…"

"Marluxia? ATTACK? Oh my gosh, he must be going after Sora!" Akyra panicked as she walked down the hallway to rejoin Riku.

"That's most likely what he's doing," Mickey added.

"WHAT?" Akyra screeched, "Well, I can't just stand here and wait for him to destroy Sora piece by piece!"

"Why are you worrying?" Riku asked, "Sora can take on anything. He's the Keyblade master, remember?"

Akyra looked at her friend with a sympathetic look. She never did tell him about the bout she had with Marluxia. The again, there were lots of things she didn't tell him… lots of things she was too afraid to speak about.

"When I fought Marluxia alone…" she began, "Riku, I wasn't even able to scratch him! What more could Sora do, even with Donald and Goofy helping him?"

Riku thought for a moment. Gosh, she really seemed upset about it. But something she said gave him an idea…

"Why don't you go help him?" he suggested.

"M-me?" she asked slowly, her eyes growing wide with shock, "I want to help him but can I really go back and risk getting punched in the face again?"

"You've been with me for so long Akyra that I doubt he remembers you, if he still continued to lose his memories."

These words kind of hurt, no matter how true they were. She looked as if she was about to cry. Riku watched as she whirled around, giving him a saddened look as she did so.

"I… I'm sorry… That's not what I meant."

"I know…" she said, turning around to face him again with a grin, "You know, during the time I spent travelling with you, I realized something… I can't keep helping others fight away their problems expecting that they'll do the same for me."

"I understand," Riku intervened.

"No, Riku, you're not even close to understanding!" she continued, "We longed to see you again so much and when we were finally able to see you again, you were being shut behind a huge door! That hurt us!"

"Akyra, I don't think you understand either," Riku said, "I always wanted to see you as well. And when my chance finally comes, a door is being shut between us, locking us on opposite sides!"

Akyra's facial expression went neutral. You know, Riku had a point. She didn't know what to think.

"You know, fighting Marluxia isn't the greatest decision. But when battling together, he doesn't stand a chance," he explained.

"I want to help Sora, but I don't want to leave you again. Whatever happened to going home together?" she asked sarcastically.

"Hey, you found me here, right?" he asked with a grin, "Who says you can't find me again?"

Akyra looked at him suspiciously for a moment. Then she smiled. He was right, she could find him again. Next time she does, hopefully she'll be with Sora, too…

"Go on," he said, pointing to a spiralling staircase at the end of the hallway, "Go help Sora."

She nodded and, with a grin as wide as an ocean, she whirled around and marched off towards the stairs, expecting Riku to bid her farewell. Riku raised his hand to wave goodbye but she didn't seem the slightest bit interested in doing the same.

"I'm not saying goodbye," she said, her back still turned at them, "Why should I, anyways? We'll just end up seeing each other again."

"Right," Mickey agreed, "Hopefully soon." S

he stopped when she reached the staircase and turned to take one last look at her friends. Although she was leaving them, she didn't feel the slightest sadness. Probably because she felt as if she could easily find them again. Before marching up those stairs, she flicked two of her fingers and said, "Good luck, you two! See you around!"

"Right back at you!" Mickey squealed as he waited for the white door to open. Soon enough, it did so, and he and Riku were sent into the world card in a bright flash of light as Akyra mounted the staircases, sprinting higher and higher up the castle as fast as she could, looking for Sora relentlessly.

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KHA: Erm, let's see now... there's about three floors of basement left and... about thirteen floors until Sora. So that makes...  
Roxas: About sixteen floors...  
KHA: Right! Sixteen floors for Akyra to climb in an average of... about four minutes. XD Are you up for the challenge?  
Akyra: O.O (faints)  
Roxas: Yay! She left cookies!  
KHA: (steals cookies)  
Roxas: O.o WHY IS EVERYONE AGAINST ME?


	35. The Last Battle

KHA: GAH! It's a fanfiction site miracle! They let me update twice in one day. AND I BROKE MY RECORD! Whooo! Two chapters in three hours! We're celebrating! (throws a party)  
Roxas: COOKIES!  
Audience: (sigh)  
KHA: All is explained in this chappie. I warn you, your brain my implode from the information.  
Akyra: What makes you say that?  
KHA: (points at Naminé)  
Naminé: (ish imploded)  
Akyra: O.O Oh...  
Roxas: Naminé! NU! (sobs like a maniac)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. But I own this cookie! MINE!

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Akyra was beginning to grow weary and panted heavily with each step she took. Sheer determination will get her far. But will it take her up sixteen staircases? She thought so at first but now she was beginning to have some doubts. She dragged her feet above every step, holding the higher steps with her hands as she tried to keep her balance. It's not often you see someone climbing stairs on all fours. Slowly but surely, she took another step. But her foot slipped and was thrown directly off the step. Luckily, she was holding onto some steps with her hands, which prevented her from falling down the staircase and breaking her neck, but she was still frustrated.

"Stupid random stair…" she muttered, "I will annihilate you when all this is over…"

She stepped again onto the step, this time more carefully. At this rate, it'll be a month before she reaches the top of the castle. If only she had something to boost her adrenaline…

The answer came straight away. Several portals of darkness opened all around her, revealing multiple types of Heartless. There were shadows, soldiers, air pirates… and event those cute little ones that cast mean magic spells.

"I have no time for you!" she screeched, picking herself up from the ground. She quickly slashed the ones that blocked her way and continued running, ignoring the other ones. To her dismay, they decided to follow her. Hey, it wasn't that bad! As long as she keeps a fair distance away from them, she'll be at the top of the castle in no time. Yet, with every couple of steps she took, another swarm of Heartless would appear, chasing her down ruthlessly along with all the others. It wasn't long before she had a sea of Heartless behind her, slowly catching up to her pace.

"Crazy Heartless…" she panted, bolting up the stairs, "No wonder everyone hates your guts…"

Heartless can't hear things, can they? And even if they did, they wouldn't understand it, right? Well… at that moment, it felt like they did hear her comment about them. And it seems like they took it personally, for the moment Akyra reached the next floor, a swarm as big as the one behind her awaited patiently for her arrival.

"…. Uh oh…" she gulped, her voice squeaking. She was entirely surrounded by hundreds of Heartless, each one of them looking at her with hungry eyes.

"Don't eat me… don't eat me… don't eat me…" Akyra pleaded, gripping her staff. She shut her eyes and kneeled to the ground. They were prepared to strike. Could this possibly be the end of her?

A sudden flash of red light filled the room. The sound of rustling Heartless disappeared almost instantly. Akyra opened one eye and checked the area. Every single Heartless threatening to attack her… was gone! But how did that happen?

"Well, it's about time!"

"Huh?" Akyra mumbled as she got up and searched the area. Standing in front of her was none other than…

"Axel?" she asked quizzically. What was HE doing here?

"You know, I was starting to think Naminé was rambling again when I didn't see you coming," he said, sounding rather annoyed and relieved, "Now, follow me! Sora's waiting."

"Hang on just one, cotton picking second!" Akyra intervened, glaring at him, "How do I know if I can trust you'll lead me to Sora?"

"Where else would I lead you?" he asked lazily.

"I don't know! Some dungeon where you plan to keep me in for the rest of my days?" she guessed in a sarcastic tone.

"Look, do you want to help Sora or not?" Akyra nodded.

"Yeah, but –"

"Then you'll have to trust me," he finished, "Run up the stairs and I'll take care of the Heartless. Pay no attention to them!" Akyra watched him suspiciously for a moment. He had a point. Besides, she needed to get to Sora fast!

"O-okay…" she hesitated.

Surely enough, Axel kept his word. The both of them bolted up the stairs at lightning speed, Axel shooting fire attacks or slashing at any Heartless who would dare stand in their way…

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"We...we got him?" Donald asked excitedly once they had defeated Marluxia.

"You could say that," Marluxia answered, reappearing right before their eyes, "But what you destroyed was just an image of me. No more than a petty imitation."

"So what!" Riku growled, slashing at him relentlessly. However, Marluxia simply disappeared, leaving a trail of flower petals in his place.

"Grr… Another trick."

"The real Marluxia's through that door, right?" Sora asked as he pointed to a large door before them. It was the biggest and brightest one they'd seen in the castle to this day.

"Yes, he is…" Naminé replied softly.

"Whatever's on the other side is powerful... I can feel it," Sora added, not tearing his gaze away from the large door.

"Well then, we'd better hurry up and stop it!" Goofy said cheerfully.

"Yeah! Let's do this!" Donald added.

"Riku... Keep Naminé safe."

"Me?" Riku asked, his jaw wide open with shock as he pointed to himself.

"You don't want to?" Sora asked.

"All right," he answered as he nodded his head. Sora, Donald and Goofy turned to face the final door, taking deep breaths.

"This is it, Sora! The final battle!" Donald said.

"Yeah…" Sora added, summoning his Keyblade in his hand, "Let's go!"

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"Here we are… the thirteenth floor," Axel said calmly once they had reached the top of the staircase. Akyra poked her head up and gazed across the hallway. Sure, it didn't look any different from the previous ones she'd seen. The only difference was the presence of a huge door at the end. And an intense battle between Sora and Marluxia right in front of it.

Sora… Sora was there!

"Sora, I made it!" Akyra cheered as she jumped into the air and trotted off down the hallway. She took a couple of steps but then suddenly stopped. Sure… it WAS Axel… but he helped her out, didn't he? That would deserve a 'thank you' at the least. She turned around to face him just as he was about to step into a portal of darkness he had summoned. She grinned brightly at him.

"Hey, Axel," she began, "Thanks for helping me get here. I really owe you one!"

Axel looked at her suspiciously, his eyes narrowed with confusion. Was she going to start rambling too now? He grunted softly and stepped into the portal as if he hadn't heard her words at all. But… right before disappearing into it… he turned around and smiled a smile that looked rather forced.

"I think I'll pass…" was all he said before he vanished into thin air.

_Insane weirdo…_ she thought to herself as she turned around to continue her walk.

Hey! Weren't Sora and Marluxia locked in battle when she last saw them? Of course they were! Her own eyes can't deceive her. But they were gone! Vanished! Just like Axel had just done. She scampered down the hallway in a panic. She couldn't have lost them _that_ easily…

She skidded to a halt at the door and scanned the area wildly for any sign of them. She'd be happy even if she ran into Marluxia. Anyone would suffice. Anyone to prove that she wasn't losing her mind.

"No!" she called, "Sora was just here a minute ago! Where did he go now?"

"You came! I knew you would!" Akyra suddenly stopped moving, alert. Someone else was here with her. Someone who sounded delighted to see someone else. It sounded like a girl's voice.

"Huh?" Akyra asked softly. She couldn't quite recognize whom the voice belonged to. But it sounded so… happy. Soon, the sound of footsteps filled the hall as well. Akyra whirled around. A girl about her age was running up to her with a bright smile and her hand waving in the air. She had blonde hair, wore a white dress and blue sandals, which were slightly lighter than the color of her eyes. Akyra stared at her with a confused look. She had no idea who this person was but… she looked like someone she knew…

"I called you and you answered! Now you can save Sora!" the girl cheered joyfully.

"Y-you called me?" Akyra asked. How could she have called her? She had no idea who she was in the first place!

"Wow… Forgive me but who are you?" she asked. Akyra probably regrets having asked this. The girl looked so happy yet, the moment Akyra asked for her name, her face fell and was replaced by sadness and fright.

"I prefer not to tell…" she said, twiddling with her fingers.

"My name's Akyra!" she said, hoping to cheer up the stranger by introducing herself, "But why won't tell? Come on, I don't bite."

Akyra wore a very happy smile but the girl crossed her arms and looked at her sarcastically. Yeah, right… As if she was going to believe that!

"Okay, maybe I do…" Akyra said, rolling her eyes as she spoke, "But… not you… You look like someone I know…"

The girl scanned her for a moment and positioned her arms to her side. Akyra didn't look like she was lying. Maybe… maybe she won't snap if she told her her name. Then again… it was still a risky move.

"My name…" the girl began after drawing a deep breath, "… is Naminé."

Akyra gasped. And blinked. No, no, this girl was lying! She had to have been! Naminé was only a figment of Sora's imagination… right? But if that really is all she was… how could this girl know about it? That's when it finally hit her. This girl… she really was Naminé… But what does she do next? Does she keep her cool or does she bite her head off for bringing her so much misery?

"Yes…" Naminé continued, "My name is Naminé and I have a story to tell…"

Akyra still looked at her suspiciously but decided that the best thing to do was to let her have her say. She cocked an eyebrow and smiled.

"I'm listening…"

Naminé smiled ecstatically when she heard this. So, she drew a couple of deep breaths and began her story…

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"So… you were forced to rewrite Sora's memories? By Marluxia who held you prisoner? That scum!" Akyra screeched angrily.

Naminé had just finished explaining everything. She told her about what she had to do to Sora's memories, why she did it, the story behind Riku's Replica, everything… and she left Akyra stunned.

"Yes… When Sora sent you away, I had to do something soon. So I reminded you of how much you value your friends," she explained, "That memory I made you remember, with the bullies? That was the first time you and Sora fought together as a team, as you do now…"

"Yeah, but… HEY! I thought you had no power over my memories! How did I forget things? And how did I remember the rest?"

Naminé chuckled. "Actually… I do have power over your memories. But I knew about Marluxia's plan ages before you came to the castle. So, I told them I couldn't touch your memories, and they believed me…"

"They believed you?" Akyra asked, stunned by their stupidity, "Wow, they're gullible…"

"Yeah…" Naminé agreed, "I lied to them because I was afraid. I hoped that, in case Sora failed to stop them, you would help. But it's worse than I thought! Marluxia is a tough foe, Akyra, and your friends need your help to destroy him."

"But…" Akyra began. There were still so many things she wanted to ask but where could she start?

"But they don't remember me. Why would they accept help from a stranger?"

"You accepted help from Axel didn't you?"

Akyra gazed at her. Naminé was right, but it just didn't feel like it was the same situation.

"Let me tell you something…" said Naminé. Akyra looked at her straight in the eye and listened intently.

"Before going through those doors, Sora fought an imitation of Marluxia. He did manage to stop him but I was watching from the sidelines, Akyra… Sora almost didn't make it."

"What?" Akyra asked, her voice full of concern.

"And now he is fighting the real Marluxia. If you don't help him, he will fall. He needs you… They need you… At this point, only you can destroy Marluxia."

"Naminé, you have to understand," she said, looking to the ground, "I love my friends and I'd do anything to help them but how can we eliminate Marluxia? We could hardly scratch him. Even as a team, what can we do?"

"You came back for your friends. That is all the power you'll need."

Akyra looked up and smiled. You know, Naminé wasn't that bad at all! And here she was, planning on throttling her the moment she meets her.

"Thank you, Naminé…"

"No…" she interrupted, "Thank you for returning." A

kyra stepped away and stopped in front of the door. It was time to eliminate Marluxia once and for all.

"You know, Sora is the luckiest guy in the world to have you as a friend," Naminé said, hoping to cheer her up, "And the day he realizes it… trust me, Akyra… he'll make it up to you."

Akyra turned her head to face Naminé and smiled as she placed her hands on the door's large handles.

"That scum Marluxia has been around for way too long…" she muttered as she pulled the doors open, "Thanks Naminé!"

She stepped into the darkened room, the door automatically swinging shut.

"Good luck!" Naminé called. Akyra turned and caught a glimpse of Naminé before the door closed completely. She gave her the brightest smile she had.

"Ha! As if I'll need it…"

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KHA: (sings) 36 rows of staircases to climb! 36 rows of staircases! You bolt one up and pant your heart out! 35 rows of staircases to climb!  
Audience: O.o Help...  
Akyra: (gasp) Next chappie ish the end of Sora's story!  
Roxas: Hey, lookie! I beat Sora's story! (waves GBA)  
KHA: (shifty eyes) (steals GBA)  
Roxas: GAH! (grabs GBA)  
KHA: Please please please please please? I'm rotting, don't you see? I NEED to play it! Please...


	36. The Promise

KHA: This chapter's a doozy. I tried to put all my effort into it but I'm not sure it paid off... O.o  
Audience: It's over? YEAH!  
KHA: It ish 1/3 over.  
Audience: Aw...  
Akyra: I'm in this chappie!  
Roxas: Duh...  
Akyra: O.O (steals ice cream)  
Roxas: O.o Quit STEALING MY STUFF!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. But I own this copy of a Stevie Nicks album! (sings) Just like the whiiiitttteeeee wiiiiinnnngggeeeeddd dooooooovvveee... O.o I don't own Stevie Nicks.

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The darkness of the room was blinding. At first, Akyra didn't realize it so much since she had the door open but once she shut it tightly, she could have sworn she was completely blind. The room was pitch black and even if her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she still wouldn't be able to see. Great… just great. How is she supposed to help Sora if she can't see two inches from her nose?

Suddenly, she felt a soft rumbling beneath her feet. She stretched out her arms, hoping to keep her balance as the rumbling grew louder and shook the ground more violently. Erupting from underneath the floor was none other than the keeper of the castle, carefully positioned on a flower type contraption. You know, Marluxia was a guy, so why would he battle with flower shaped devices and pink weapons?

_Gah! Snap out of it, Akyra…_ she thought to herself. This situation was way more important than her noticing how bizarre his weapons were. As she watched with horror as Marluxia's contraption rose, she couldn't help noticing that he wasn't looking in her direction at all. In fact he was gazing down aimlessly at one trembling figure surrounded by two rays of light. Of course! It was Sora, Donald and Goofy! Plus, her timing couldn't be more perfect; Marluxia had no idea she was in the room! She kept a close eye on him as she ran towards Sora, who was picking up his cards containing Donald and Goofy.

"Drown in the heart-torn world of nothingness!" Marluxia roared, "I shall scatter your heart to the empty winds!"

"That's what you think!"

Sora's head suddenly jolted upright as he scanned the area for the owner of the voice. It couldn't be Naminé. Then who could it be?

On the contrary, Marluxia gasped. Yes… he remembered that voice… It belonged to someone who was supposed to be rotting away in a fictional world!

"You!" he cried, "You're supposed to be gone! How could you have escaped?"

"I have my reasons," she hollered at him. You know, he was twenty feet higher than she was and it kind of made her fell very… small.

"But now is not the time to hear them! You've caused too much trouble around here, Marluxia. It's about time you ended up where you've always belonged!"

"Fools!" he boomed, "An added fighter won't increase your chances of defeating ME!"

The ground began to rumble again as Marluxia summoned all the power he was able to control. Akyra gulped. Okay then, maybe standing up to him wasn't such a good idea after all. She ran the distance that separated her from Sora and skidded to a halt when she reached him.

"Don't hold back!" she warned, "Together, we can beat him."

Sora nodded but wasn't able to take his eyes off her. He was positive he had seen her before, but where? It felt like not too long ago… It felt like he had seen her in a dream…

The ground suddenly shook, snapping Sora out of his trance. Apparently, Marluxia had just violently thrown something to the floor. Akyra looked down at her hands. Did they seem brighter than usual or was she going insane? No, she wasn't going insane… a bright light began engulfing her whole body. She was turning into a card again! Gosh, she never thought the day would come where she'd be relieved to transform into a card. She looked up at Sora and smiled.

"Wait!" Sora called before she was entirely covered in light, "Please! A name! Who are you?"

Akyra's face fell. A name? What name? It would be of no use anyway… She hung her head in shame and looked up at her friend until their eyes met.

"A memory…" was all she said. Sora gazed longingly at the card that had suddenly taken the mystery girl's place.

Hang on… Donald and Goofy had their names printed on their cards. Maybe hers did too! Sora jumped in the air and grabbed the floating card. He scrambled to read it quickly before his battle would begin. Maybe her name would give him a clue…

"Akyra?" he asked himself as he fixed his regard on her card. He sighed. Her name was of no help at all…

"Prepare to be vanquished, Keyblade Master!" Marluxia shrieked as his voice trailed off and echoed as it bounced off the walls. That was his cue! He whipped out his Keyblade and shuffled his cards, ready for battle.

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"Get me out! Get me out! Get me out!" Sora said to himself. He picked up the cards that held the hearts of his friends (which were strewn on the floor) and ran for the exit. After having finally defeated the real Marluxia, the ground began to rumble and Sora could have sworn that the room would cave in. He skidded to a halt outside the room and shut the door as fast as he could, hoping that whatever was brewing inside stays inside. He stepped away from the door and watched it intently. The faint yet visible outline of a keyhole appeared on the door, making Sora smile. He knew exactly what to do with it. He raised his Keyblade until it reached the door and, within the blink of an eye, a small beam of light shot out of the tip and entered the Keyhole, making a short clicking sound as it disappeared.

"Are you okay, Riku?" Sora asked after he went to rejoin him and Naminé.

"I'm not Riku. I'm fake," he answered sadly, "I can't remember when I was created, or why... All I've got left is you and Naminé. But those memories aren't real..."

"Naminé, can you put Riku's memory back to normal?" Jiminy asked sympathetically.

Naminé closed her eyes and uneasily shook her head. "It… It doesn't work that way…"

"It's all right," Riku said as he flicked his hand at Sora and began walking off, "Don't worry about me."

"Wait!" Sora called as he ran to catch up to him, "Who cares if someone made you? You have your own heart. Those feelings and memories are yours and yours alone. They're special!"

Riku stared at him for a long time and cracked a smile. It was the first smile he had ever made since his creation in the castle. Maybe he really did have feelings…

"Sora, you're a good person. I don't have to be real to see how real your feelings are. That's good enough for me."

Riku turned around and left the hallway. As he headed down the staircase, he vanished into thin air. With a heavy heart, Sora returned to Naminé, who looked entertained by something. As Sora gazed in her direction, he noticed his friends transforming back into their original selves from their card forms. Except this time, there were three rays of light rather than two. The third one must belong to Akyra. You know, Sora would have joined Donald, Goofy and Naminé's celebration on behalf of Marluxia's defeat but walked right past them and approached Akyra. He knew he had met her before and not being able to remember was driving him mad. Hopefully she could tell him some answers.

"Hey, erm… Thanks for helping out…" he said meekly.

"It was nothing," she replied quickly. Gosh, why were conversations always awkward between two people who had just met (in Sora's case).

"Remember what you said before?" Sora asked, "I asked you for your name and you said you were a memory. What did you mean?"

"I meant it straightforward. I really am a memory…" she answered rather unhappily.

"But that's impossible," Sora intervened, "I know I feel like I've never met you before, your name is unfamiliar to me and I have no idea who you are but… I've seen you before. Where? I don't know… But I have seen you… somewhere…"

Sora fixed his regard on her eyes. Someone had looked at him before with those same eyes. And, if his mind isn't playing tricks on him, he could swear he saw her reach her hand out to him. Then it hit him. He saw her stretch out her hand for him to take as he kneeled on the ground. He was alone… completely alone but she had come to help him. He asked her for her name. She just smiled and giggled…

"Of course!" he shouted instantly, causing the others gasp in surprise, "You're the girl from my dreams!"

"Girl from your dreams?" Akyra asked blankly.

"But Sora, I thought you said the girl in your dream was Naminé," Goofy intervened.

"I know, but that was before I knew what Naminé looked like. In my dream I would make friends and lose them instantly. I'd make more but they would just end up vanishing as well. I never had a real close friend…" he said sadly as he explained his dream. Then, he pointed his gloved finger to Akyra as he continued, "And then you'd come and tell me that everything would be all right. No matter how many friends I lose, I can always be sure that you'll always be there for me when I need you…"

Akyra gasped and looked up at him, her eyes wide. Always be there for him… She could just hear herself saying those words again, back in Halloween Town…

'_Sora, nothing bad will ever happen to you again. Whether you need me or not, I will always be there for you. I promise…_'

Akyra tore her gaze away from the group. This was so dumb of her. Sora couldn't have dreamt about her promise. It must be something else…

Wait… She put her finger to her eye and felt a tear on its side. Why was she crying? Was she crying without noticing?

"I broke it… I can't believe it… What was I thinking?" she said to herself as she wiped the only tear she had away from her eye.

"No… I didn't mean to make you cry…" Sora sighed.

"That's not the reason why! Look, I made a promise that I would always be there for you. And I promised myself I'd keep it. But then you were going insane over Naminé and I got mad at you for forgetting who your real friends were. You sent me away, probably when you needed me most. And do you know what I did? I left! I actually left! I wasn't there when you needed me… I broke my promise… And I know you don't understand a word I just said and it looks like I'm rambling…"

Sora, Donald and Goofy stared at her wide-eyed for a moment. Probably this was too much information to process at one time.

"That promise…" Sora said, "That's exactly what the girl from my dreams promised me…"

"But you dreamed something that already happened. How could you forget about it?" Goofy asked quizzically.

"That's my doing," said Naminé, "You eventually forgot about her when she left you."

"So you're a part of our lost memories!" Jiminy cheered, suddenly realizing the truth.

"Yes. I used to fight and travel to other worlds with you guys. And…" she said, sighing unhappily as she turned to face Sora, "I broke my promise… and I want you to know that… I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Sora answered.

"What? But how could you forgive me?" she argued.

"It just feels like I can."

Akyra smiled. You know, he was much nicer with her when he didn't remember who she was.

"So, Naminé, can you fix our memories?" Donald asked hopefully.

"Yes. Just because you can't remember something doesn't mean it's gone," she answered.

"What do you mean?" Goofy asked with a puzzled look.

"Remembering one thing leads to remembering another, and then another... Your memories are connected, like links in a chain. Those same chains are what anchor us all together. I don't destroy memories. I just take apart the links and rearrange them. You still have all your memories."

"So you can put them back together?" Jiminy asked hopefully.

"Yes, but first I have to undo the links I made," Naminé explained, "Then I have to gather up the memories scattered in your hearts and reconnect them. It will take time. But I think it will work. No, I'll MAKE it work. It's my turn to help you out."

"All right," Sora said as he nodded, "We're in your hands."

"Hey... Wait just a second!" Donald quacked, "You said you'd have to undo the links you made. But that means…"

"Yes, Donald. You won't be able to recall what happened in this castle."

"Not even you?" Sora asked.

"I'm sorry. It's the only way. You have to choose, Sora. You can lose your memories of this castle and reclaim your old memories... or keep your memories here and give up the memories that you've lost."

"I have to choose?" Sora asked meekly. Naminé nodded. Sora put a finger to his cheek and thought for a moment. The answer was probably obvious to him. But still, he didn't want to forget Naminé…

"Put me back the way I was," he said simply. Naminé's smile fell. She would have liked it if Sora wanted to remember her but she was still joyful with his decision.

"Okay, I understand! Who needs false memories, right? Especially when you have real memories of people who are really important to you. People like Akyra here," she said as she poked at Akyra, "Anyone would say the same."

She led them across the hallway to another room that looked no different from the others. The lights from the ceiling reflected off the white walls, creating such a brightness that the group was forced to squint their eyes while they waited for them to adjust to the light. Naminé led them inside the room and stopped next to a bright, glass contraption. It looked very delicate and the glass that sprouted from the sides gave it the look of an opened flower.

"So, we have to sleep in these to get our memories back?" Donald asked as he pointed to one of the contraptions.

"You'll be fine," Naminé said cheerfully, "It might take a little time, but I'll take care of you."

"But when we wake up, we won't remember you anymore..." Goofy sighed, "How are we going to thank you later?"

"No problem, Goofy! I'll make a note in my journal: 'Thank Naminé.'"

"Good night, Naminé," Donald said cheerfully as he headed towards two contraptions on the other side of the room.

"Good night, Akyra," said Goofy, "We'll remember you when we wake up."

Akyra and Naminé looked at each other for a moment and chuckled lightly before saying, "Good night."

As Goofy walked off towards Donald, Akyra and Naminé turned around to face Sora, who was standing in front of the largest contraption in the room.

"You too, Sora!" Naminé said playfully.

"Okay…" he sighed as he jumped into it. Holding on to one of the sides of the device, he stretched out his hand to Akyra and asked, "Aren't you coming in?"

Akyra shook her head. "Nope."

"Why not? Don't you want your old memories back?" Sora asked curiously.

"They never left me."

"There IS a little part I left out to the story…" Naminé intervened, "Akyra never gained the same memories as you did in this castle because I was hoping she could destroy Marluxia. All I did was make her forget some of her own. That's why she never remembered me the way you did. We could say she was part of my devious little plan," Naminé giggled, remembering Larxene's words.

"Oh… But didn't Marluxia order you to change all of our memories?"

"He did, but I lied to him and said I couldn't touch Akyra's memories because she wields the Staffblade…"

Akyra summoned her staff and, twirling it by the handle, held it high so Sora can have a clear view of it.

"Nice staff…" he said as he gazed at it.

Akyra laughed. "I guess you lost that piece of your memories too… This isn't any ordinary staff. It's a sign of loyalty in your friends and the bonds that that tie you together."

"It's friendship, basically…" Sora guessed.

"Right. Once the Keyblade chooses its master, this staff must choose one as well. It must choose the one person in the entire world who will stay loyal to the Keyblade master. His best friend… in a way…"

Sora remained silent. Maybe he was just trying to remember the night he obtained the Keyblade. The night everything changed…

"I doubt you remember this but there was a time when I asked myself what I did to deserve such a thing… why it chose me over Riku or Kairi… But something you told me set me straight…"

She knew Sora was now wondering who Kairi was, but she continued her speech anyway. Anything to help him remember.

"You said: 'It chose you because you are not like Riku and Kairi. It chose you because it knew that you were the only person in the world that will never betray me, never trade me in for your benefit and –"

"– never, ever leave my side…" Sora finished.

"Huh?" Akyra asked. He didn't remember anything about her. How could he have remembered those words?

"Those words…" he started, "I said them to someone who was important to me… I don't remember who or when but I remember that person's smile when I said it."

"See?" Naminé said happily, "He remembers nothing about you yet he still remembers those words. They made a print in your heart, Sora. Something I could never erase."

Sora looked down, deep in thought. He could have never guessed he said that to Akyra but… they were still special. He could never forget something like that.

"All right, I'm ready to get my memories back, Naminé," he said, lifting his head up boldly, "Good night, Akyra."

Akyra smiled. "Good night."

With that, she turned around and walked towards the exit, smiling brightly as she did. As she stepped past the doorway, she turned her head and smiled at the two teenagers again before turning the corner and disappearing. Naminé turned back to Sora.

"It may have started with a lie, but I'm really glad I met you, Sora."

"Yeah, me too," Sora agreed, "When I found you... Even when I remembered your name, I was so, so happy. The way I felt was no lie."

"Goodbye…" Naminé whispered.

"No, not goodbye! I'll find you again after I wake up. And we'll be friends for real. Promise me, Naminé."

"You'll only forget."

"I won't," Sora argued, "Even if you take apart the chain of memories in my heart, the links will stay there. This memory will always be inside me somewhere."

"I guess you're right. Let's promise, then."

"I'll see you again, Naminé," he said softly. They shook hands and Sora positioned himself inside the contraption.

"Sora..." Naminé muttered sadly, "The loose links will sink into the darkness in your heart. You won't be able to just reach in and pick the one you want. But there's another promise you made — a promise to people you could never replace. They're your light. The light within the darkness. If you can remember them... all the memories lost in the shadows of your heart will come into the light."

"Another promise…"

"Look at the good luck charm. I changed its shape when I changed your memory. But when you thought of that girl, it went back to the way it was. You're remembering..."

Sora dug through his pocket and pulled out the little flower charm that he'd kept with him for so long. It's surface glistened brilliantly as the room became lighter. Soon, Sora found himself covered in light, the charm in his hands and Naminé being the only things visible to his eyes. He picked up his head.

Could it be?

Naminé wasn't standing alone. So many other people Sora knew surrounded her. There was Leon, and Yuffie, and Aerith and Cid and Selphie and… Sora's mind was overflowing with memories of the people he once could have sworn he never knew. He smiled brightly as he scanned the entire area, meeting his eyes with every person standing before him and growing increasingly happy with every grin he saw. As his mind filled with more and more memories, more people came to join the crowd of familiar faces. In front of them all, Sora was able to see the pale figure of two friends of his… two very close friends…

Riku flicked his hair to one side and crossed his arms, gazing at Sora with that serious look he always wore. Sora laughed. Riku really needed to smile once in a while… He shifted his gaze to the other side and watched as the figure slowly came into view.

Crystal blue eyes and hair of the weirdest color he'd ever seen… Akyra joined Riku in front of the crowd, her arms crossed behind her back and her head hanging in sadness.

Wait… Akyra, sad?

Sora watched as she raised her head and gazed at him with saddened eyes. How could she be looking at him so sadly when he was actually beginning to remember things that were important to him?

Suddenly, his mind was flooded with more memories. The times he spent play battling with her, all the worlds they've visited together… even those mean bullies they fought off when they were kids. Everything… yet he never realized there was so much…

"Akyra!" he called to her, "I remember! I remember everything! The worlds we travelled through, all the adventures we had… and a promise. We made the same promise to each other. I promised that I'll always be there for you when you needed me… and I always will!"

The image of Akyra watched him carefully as he spoke. Her expression softened as she broke into a smile. That smile she had… now he remembered it. Gazing around the crowd of people he noticed one last figure that had suddenly appeared behind them all. She had short, red hair and her eyes looked like the night sky. Of course! She was the owner of that charm he's held with him this whole time.

"Kairi!" he yelled. The girl smiled brightly and nodded.

Sora's guilt began to grow as he watched the crowd of people he had forgotten. How could he have forgotten so many people who were so important to him? Friends that special… are never worth forgetting…

Hang on… something was missing in this picture…

"Naminé?" Sora yelled as he turned to his side to face her. Her figure was growing faint and looked as if it was slowly sinking into the light.

"Don't worry. You'll forget me...but we have our promise, so I can come back to you," she said softly. Sora noticed that her voice was softer as it echoed. She was slowly disappearing.

"A promise is a promise," he said boldly.

"One day it'll be our light, the light that brings us together. I'll be in your heart until that time comes."

"I know," Sora said, his voice drifting softly as he watched her fade into the light, "Forgotten, but not lost."

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KHA: Gah! I gasped, cried, sniffed, sobbed, whatever when I read that part in the gamescript. (bawls) It must have been twice as sad on the GBA...  
Roxas: Yeah, you're right. (protects GBA)  
KHA: (shifty eyes)  
Naminé: Bravo! Encore!  
KHA: O.o It's not done yet...  
Naminé: Well, SORRY! I'm just trying to fit in... (sob)  
Audience: You're trying to fit in? O.O What's this posse coming to? (sigh)


	37. Look After Him For Me

KHA: GAH!  
Akyra: O.O  
KHA: Two more chappies then... The ficcy's over! (sobs like a maniac)  
Roxas: O.O  
Naminé: I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!  
Audience: Hey, want to cheer KHA up? Force her to play FF-X...  
Akyra: You sure?  
Audience: Positive... eheh heh heh...

Disclaimer: I (sniff) don't own (choke) Kingdom Hearts or CoM... (gag) I own Akyra... (hysteric sobbing)

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The world card led them into a world unfamiliar to Riku. It looked like a quaint little town with brick roads and train stations galore. The sun was setting and its last few rays of day shone across the windows of the tall buildings, causing them to glisten with twilight.

"Where am I now?" Riku asked himself as he gazed around the area, "I don't remember this place. Your Majesty, do you know where we are? Your Majesty?"

"His Majesty is not here."

Riku jerked his head upright. He should have known he would return… That insolent, good for nothing, being of the dark… He turned around to face his worst enemy; the one who had so graciously kept him company throughout his journey without his approval.

"You must battle me and the darkness alone!" Ansem roared.

Riku raised his sword in the air, growling with rage. But, the longer he stood in his battle position, ready to strike at any moment, Riku felt something… odd. He felt like Ansem wouldn't try to attack him or control his heart with darkness or anything like that. He slowly lowered his sword and stared at Ansem with a puzzled look.

"You're not Ansem. Your scent – it's different. The Ansem in my heart smells darker, more foul. But not you. It's not darkness I smell, it's… something else. I know. You're the one who guided me when this all started. You pretended to be Ansem and gave me the card, to make me face the darkness."

Ansem smiled and nodded. "Correct"

In a flash of light, Ansem had disappeared and another man had taken his place. The man posing as Ansem wore crimson clothes that draped over him like a cape. An infinite number of belts held his clothes together and a long bandage was wrapped around his head, covering his right eye. He seemed to want to conceal his identity.

"Call me DiZ — it's as good a name as any. I've been watching you all along," he began.

"Who are you really? What do you want from me?" Riku demanded.

"I want you to choose."

"Choose?"

"You are special," DiZ explained, "You exist between light and dark. You stand in the twilight. I want you to meet Naminé, then choose."

"Naminé?" Riku asked softly. He clearly remembered having heard that name before. Someone had told it to him…

"Yes. The same Naminé your friend Akyra told you about…"

Now he remembered. Akyra had explained something about Naminé…

"But, who is she?" Riku asked.

"You'll just have to meet her and find out."

"Hey, wait a sec!" Riku called but his words were ignored. DiZ had vanished into thin air, leaving him with bunches of questions and a random person to go looking for. Without hesitating, he sighed and walked down the street, keeping his eye open for either DiZ or Naminé. Or maybe even Ansem or the king, for all he knew…

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Riku followed the street and the little dirt trail in the woods and eventually found himself standing before a huge manor. It looked tall and elegant yet old and ready to collapse. A brick fence circled the house and was connected by a large, iron gate.

"Maybe Naminé is in here..." he thought as he approached the gate and tinkered with the lock, hoping it would open up.

"Hold it, Real Thing."

Riku could have sworn he heard himself talking yet he hadn't uttered a word. There was only one explanation to this. His fake had returned to fight again. Riku turned around to face his opponent, looking rather annoyed.

"Well, well. You've changed," said the replica, "Last time we met you were afraid of the darkness, but not anymore."

"How can you tell?" Riku asked as he crossed his arms.

"Because I'm you."

"No, I'M me!" Riku barked.

""I'm me," he says," Riku Replica mocked, "It must be nice, being real. A fake like me could never get away with saying that. That's right, I'm a phoney! The way I look, the way I feel, everything!"

"How can you say that?" Riku yelled.

"Save your breath. I thought by finding some new strength I could be someone, someone who's not you!" the replica spat as the real Riku whipped out his sword, "But nothing changes... I'm still just empty! Everything about me is borrowed. As long as you're around, I'll never be anything better than a shadow!"

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"So... this is the end. Figures…" said Riku Replica.

Riku had easily won the battle against his annoying imitation and was now watching him suffer. The Replica lay sprawled on the ground, panting heavily as particles began to float away from him. He was dissolving, fading into nothingness probably…

"But I'm not afraid. Good riddance to an artificial life. I never had a real heart. Even what I'm feeling now is probably fake."

"What are you feeling?" Riku asked. You know, he was starting to feel pity for the replica.

"What happens when someone who's not real dies? Where will my heart go? That is, if it doesn't disappear completely..."

"It'll go somewhere," Riku assured him, "Probably the same place my heart will go."

"Heh... How original," Riku Replica said sarcastically as his voice began to break, "Oh, well."

Riku watched in silence as the replica dissolved completely and vanished into thin air, defeated once and for all, just like his creator. Riku sort of felt sorry for the poor guy. And you know, somewhere deep inside his heart, he kind of hoped that the replica's heart would go to the same place his would eventually go…

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Riku panted slightly as he bolted up the stairs. There were at least six flights of staircases he had to climb before actually being able to find a hallway or a room of some sort. Luckily for him, he eventually found the hallway he was looking for and paced through it leisurely, admiring the statues of flowers that decorated the walls. He didn't really know where he was going. But something was leading him. A scent… a familiar scent wanted him to enter the room down the hall. He did as his instincts advised him to and casually entered the room.

It was huge! Not to mention, bright… The room was completely white, making it hard to see where you're going. But Riku had no trouble finding his way through the room. He had caught a glimpse of color near the middle of the room, a color that looked like a ray of sunshine. The more Riku approached it, the more it came into view and not before long, he realized it was the figure of a girl and the gold color he had seen was the color of her hair.

"You're Naminé?" he asked.

The girl turned around. Her dark eyes really stood out with the brightness of the room. In fact, Riku found it to be a pretty mix of colors…

"Yes, I'm Naminé," she responded softly.

"So… that was you…"

"Huh?" she asked, her voice full of curiosity.

"Nothing," Riku answered, shaking his head, "Never mind…"

"Please come this way…" she said.

Without even waiting for Riku to answer, she took his hand and led him deeper into the room, near the place where the flower shaped contraptions stood. Riku gazed at them in awe. Never had he seen so many strange looking devices in his life. Naminé stopped him in front of the largest contraption in the room. It appeared to be closed, unlike the other ones he had seen. A small circular table stood beside the contraption yet the chair seemed to be occupied by someone. Riku took a glimpse at it and smiled at what he saw.

"I guess Akyra made it up the castle okay…" he said softly. Akyra was the one who occupied the lonely little chair with her arms crossed on the table. Her head rested against her crossed arms as she slept.

"She's tired," Naminé explained, "Let's not wake her up. Instead, why don't you look at this contraption a little more closely?"

Naminé was pointing eagerly at the large contraption in front of them with a hungry look. What could possibly be exciting about some random device? As Riku looked more closely, he figured out why. Among the soft, white shadiness of the contraption, Riku was able to see some color within it. Color that belonged to someone he knew very well.

"Hey! It's Sora!" Riku said after realizing whom the figure was, "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing, he's just sleeping," Naminé answered softly, "He has to… to get his memory back."

Riku looked at her, stunned. Okay, he kind of remembered Akyra mentioning something like that. But one thing she failed to tell him about were the absolute details. Riku crossed his arms and raised his head so that his ocean green eyes met Naminé's.

"Tell me what happened."

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"I see... Sora chose to forget about this castle and get back his old memories," Riku sighed. Naminé had just finished her explanation of the whole story without leaving out a single detail and Riku was still trying to process all of the information. He never realized that so many things were happening only a few stories higher…

"You have a decision to make, too," Naminé intervened.

"Why? No one's been messing with my memories." She shook her head.

"It's not about your memories. It's about your darkness. In your heart is darkness, and in that darkness is Ansem. Right now, he's at bay... but eventually he'll awaken, and he'll conquer you when he does. Before that happens, let me lock your heart tight. I can make it so Ansem never escapes."

"And what happens to me if I let you do that?" Riku asked calmly, "Will I forget everything, like Sora? I will, won't I…?"

"The darkness in your heart will be sealed along with your memory," she explained, "You'll stop remembering the darkness. You can go back to the way you used to be. It's your choice, Riku. So...choose."

Riku's face fell as he raised his head and watched Sora as he slept.

"Sora looks like he hasn't got a care in the world. Will I sleep that well?"

Naminé nodded. He slowly looked around the room, considering his decision. This was pretty hard for him to decide. For the most part, he had no idea about what he really wanted. But then, his regard met the figure of Akyra sleeping. You know… Akyra thought that she wouldn't be able to defeat Marluxia, let alone make it up the stairs in one piece. He remembered how much he tried to convince her that she could… And in the end, here she was, waiting for Sora to awaken and free from Marluxia's threat. If she was able to do it, then so was he…

"Sora always did as he pleased," he began, "It doesn't matter what we were doing… he'd still go off and leave me with all the work. Take the raft we were gonna use to leave the islands. That was all me. I've made up my mind. When this slacker wakes up, I'm gonna tell him off good. I told him to take care of Kairi, and here he is taking a nap! But I can't chew him out if I've been sleeping, too. Keep your lock. I'd rather just finish Ansem off once and for all."

"But if the darkness he wields gets the better of you..." Naminé warned.

"I'll make that darkness show me the way."

"That's true," she said happily.

"Why do I get the feeling you knew I'd say that?" Riku asked curiously.

"I didn't know. I hoped. I want you to face the darkness, because you're the one who can."

"So that's why you came to me in the light. As Kairi."

"You knew?" Naminé cried in delight.

"I knew as soon as I met you. Somehow you...smell the same." S

he smiled and nodded. Guess there was no fooling Riku after all…

"Look after Sora," he said sternly.

With one last glance at Sora's contraption, Riku darted out of the room, looking for the exit to the town, aware by what he must do…

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KHA: (ish playing FF-X)  
Akyra: Good gosh, the Audience were actually helpful, for once!  
KHA: (gasp) NO! TIDUS! (sobs like a maniac)  
Akyra: (sigh)  
Audience: AHAHAHA! Another victim! XD  
Roxas: O.O I knew it! I knew this would happen! Did anyone listen to me? NO!  
Akyra: You... didn't say anything...  
Roxas: O.o You're all against me...


	38. Riku's Battle

KHA: I'm not entitled to say that I updated twice in one day. To tell you the truth, this chappie's so tiny, you might accidentally inhale it if you're not careful.  
Akyra: O.o How the heck do you inhale a chapter?  
KHA: Trust me, it's possible with this one. O.O Hold your breath, readers!  
Audience: O.O Wait... weren't you sobbing a couple of seconds ago?  
KHA: For what? I'm as happy as a clam!  
Roxas: You know... the ending of your second ficcy...  
KHA: (gasp) E-e-ending?... GAH! (sobs)

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or CoM. Akyra's mine. Try not to inhale anything... XD

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"So, you decided not to go to sleep, huh?" Mickey asked in a squeaky voice.

Riku had just found the exit to Twilight Town (after many minutes of frantic searching) and found himself back in the pearl hallways of Castle Oblivion. The king had been patiently waiting his return and seemed very excited to see him when he returned.

"Yeah, I… Hey, how'd you know that?" Riku asked curiously.

"DiZ told me," Mickey said blankly.

Footsteps suddenly echoed through the hallway. Riku surveyed the area behind Mickey, the place where the sound was coming from. He was surprised to find DiZ slowly approaching Mickey in a gliding manner. He hadn't seen him there before so it came with quite a shock to him.

"You know him?" Riku asked, stunned.

"I'm not really sure," Mickey said as he scratched his head, "I can't help feeling that I met him somewhere before..."

"Hey, Voice! Erm… I mean, uh… DiZ," Riku stammered, "Who are you?"

DiZ stayed silent for a moment and all that could have been heard was the sound of his heavy breathing. You know, Riku was tempted to ask him if he could breathe with all that fabric around his face but decided to keep his mouth shut. He couldn't ask that question… that was something Sora or Akyra would ask…

"Nobody...or anybody," DiZ answered finally, "It all depends on whether you choose to believe in me or not."

"Boy, you really like pushing decisions on other people…" Riku said sarcastically, crossing his arms.

"And you pushed away slumber and chose to face Ansem," he answered in a deep voice.

"What, wrong answer?"

"It was your answer. I'm just here to watch."

"'Watch,' as in support me, or 'watch me get toasted'?" Riku asked suspiciously.

"You need only believe in your choice," DiZ said as he tossed something that looked suspiciously like a world card to Riku, "That card will draw the darkness inside you out into this world. Finish your business with Ansem."

With that said, DiZ gazed at Riku, looking slightly amused, before vanishing in a flash of dim light. Riku stared blankly at the spot where DiZ stood only seconds ago. That guy was weird… Anyways, he had no time to waste thinking about oddities. He flicked the card around through his fingers and smiled cynically.

"So this card will draw Ansem out..." he muttered, thinking of all the ways he could grind Ansem to a pulp.

"Don't you worry! Together, we can defeat him!" the king said joyfully.

"I'm glad you said that..." he answered happily, "But I have to face Ansem alone."

"But...but why?" His Majesty asked in shock, his eyes widening. When the king was surprised or shocked, his eyes could widen to roughly the size of his large ears.

"There's no point in doing this if I can't do it on my own. But I have a favor to ask. If Ansem wins, he's going to enslave me. If that happens, I want you to destr–"

"Sure, I'll save you, pal!" Mickey said with a wide grin, assuming he knew what Riku would ask of him.

"Huh? You're not listening," Riku said as he shook his head, "I want you to destroy Ansem and me with —"

"No can do!" Mickey interrupted again, "I already made my choice. No matter what happens, I'm going to be there to help you. I'm not backing down. Unless you don't believe I'll come through for you..."

Riku watched Mickey's determination with awe. For the first time since that night on the islands, Riku finally felt like his friends had forgiven him even if he never did get the chance to see them. If Mickey would stand and fight with him until the end, it kind of felt like everyone else would too.

"It's my choice to believe or not. I know you'd never let me down, Your Majesty."

"Same here," Mickey chuckled, "You won't lose – not in a million years!"

"Not in a billion years!"

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"Show yourself, Ansem!" Riku called, his voice hardly echoing through the darkness. The moment he stepped into the world card, Riku sensed the darkness. He sensed it try to take hold of him. But he wouldn't let it. This time, he'll fight it. This time, he won't be the one losing the battle…

"Ha ha ha... What's the rush? I'll be here... At the heart of darkness... I'll be watching as you plunge into the very darkness you wield."

Riku looked around wildly. He hated it when Ansem spoke to him through air. Not only could he not see where Ansem was, it also made him look like a lunatic who talks to himself.

"Come on out, Ansem. I can smell you," he warned, gripping his sword tightly.

"Oh, I know what you can do. Your skill with darkness has matured," Ansem said softly as he slowly appeared in front of him from the shadowy depths, his eyes piercing through Riku's, "But I do not understand. Why accept darkness and still refuse me? You and I are similar. We both follow where the darkness leads. We exist in the same space…so why deny me? Perhaps some part of your heart still fears the dark?"

"Wrong. The truth is..." Riku snarled as he raised his staff above his head, ready for battle, "You just really stink."

"You're a fool to choose a fight with me. You've been conquered by me once before. You should know what sort of power you face," Ansem warned. Well, he wasn't really warning. He just wanted to intimidate Riku, hoping his mind would get the better of him.

"Oh, I do. I used all the power you had to give and still lost to Sora," Riku explained lightly, rolling his eyes, "I'm not impressed."

Ansem growled with fury as shadowy smoke began to revolve around him. Riku had touched a nerve and he knew it. He brought his sword to the height of his shoulders as he prepared his battle stance, watching Ansem's malicious gaze all the while. Ansem looked as if he was about to blow, his glare piercing through the darkness as he growled with fury.

"Very well. Then sink into the dark abyss!"

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KHA: (sob) (sniff) (bawl) Fear the shortness of this chappie! (goes back to sobbing)  
Akyra: Gosh... next chappie's the end... O.o  
Roxas: (sniff) We've come so far...  
Roxas/Akyra: O.O (sobs hysterically)  
Naminé: NU! I don't appear in the story anymore! Well... not much anyway... (sob)  
Sora: Eh, what the heck... (sobs)  
KHA: SORA! (tackles Sora)  
Sora: GAH!


	39. No Other Road Than My Own

KHA: (gasp) I did it! I did it! I did it! I kept my vow! According to the calendar, Autumn begins on September 22nd and I updated while it was still summer! GAAAAAHH! (faints)  
Akyra: O.o Oh well, guess she won't be able to enjoy the last chapter party...  
KHA: (magically comes back to life)  
Audience: (chews garlic silently)  
KHA: SIT DOWN EVERYBODY! (steps on stage with microphone) Welcome, one and all to the ending of "Forgotten"!  
(random cheers)  
KHA: Chappie first, party later.  
Akyra: (reaches out for sugar)  
KHA: PARTY LATER!  
Akyra: Aw, snap...

Disclaimer: For the last time, I don't own Kingdom Hearts or COM. Guess what else I don't own? The world... Penguins... Lemonade...

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If darkness could suffocate, Akyra would have been dead the second she opened her eyes. She saw nothing… nothing but thick, black darkness surrounding her entirely in its cold embrace. The worst thing about darkness is that, when you're warped within it, you can never be completely sure about who is surrounding you, let alone what they're planning on doing. But Akyra was sure the cause of all this darkness was because of the presence of someone… someone who adored it enough to use it against the world…

"Darn to you, Ansem…" Akyra muttered under her breath. She knew he was here. Nothing could cover up his presence. Now she kind of understood how Riku recognized his scent so easily…

Hang on. A couple of seconds ago, Akyra could have sworn she was in that white room with Naminé and sleeping Sora. So how the heck did she end up all the way here? Not only that, how did she end up so high up in the air? As she thought, she caught sight of a small figure of Ansem as well as a smaller figure of Riku. It looked as if she was watching them from a high tower. Yet, she was still able to hear them clearly and keep track of their actions. It kind of spooked her out, as a matter of fact…

She watched intently as the battle against Ansem and Riku erupted. Riku held his sword high and attempted to dodge one of Ansem's dark energy blasts.

_Come on Riku_, she thought, _He's a pushover compared to you. You can win easily_.

Or so she wished…

It was a direct hit. She gasped as Riku was sent flying through the air like an old, torn ragdoll. Ansem smiled cynically, continuing to send energy blasts at him. It made no sense. Ansem never got to Riku that easily. Now he was tossing him around in his clutches and cackling as he watched him suffer. Riku dug his sword into the ground and kneeled, grabbing onto it for support. His legs trembled as he tried to stand up. He wasn't going to make it. He wasn't going to defeat Ansem like he promised himself he'd do. Instead, he'd just end up sinking back into darkness, exactly how Ansem had told him he would when he first set foot into the castle…

Akyra looked away. She knew she couldn't help him in this battle. He wanted to defeat Ansem alone.

But there's nothing against giving a little moral support, right?

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"Ansem!" she screeched, causing Naminé to squeal and fall off her chair in surprise.

Akyra scanned the room wildly. It was completely white, with a couple of contraptions scattered around here and there. Of course… this is where she last was before… before all that. Was it just a dream?

"What happened?" Akyra asked meekly.

"You fell asleep," Naminé answered as she stood up and sat properly on her chair, "That is, until you yelled Ansem's name and woke up so suddenly."

Akyra sighed as she kept her eyes focused on her. So it was just a dream… But it felt so real! It felt as if she was watching everything that was happening on the other side of the castle… as if she was actually there.

It was real. She knew it was. She was sure of it. And she also knew that Riku needed help… the help of a friend maybe?

"Naminé, I… I need to go somewhere… Only for a little bit!" she stammered.

Naminé cocked an eyebrow. "To Riku?"

Akyra nodded. No, wait. How did she know?

"Akyra, you can't go."

Meanwhile, Akyra was scrambling to her feet and darting towards the door. But Naminé's words made her suddenly stop.

"Why not?" she yelled.

"Riku chose to fight this battle alone. He doesn't want any help…"

Akyra smiled and chuckled slightly. Naminé was funny when she was forgetful…

"I never said I'd help him…"Akyra began, leaning against the doorway as she watched Naminé's confused look, "I know he wants to do this alone, and I respect that. But, would it hurt to give him a LITTLE moral support?"

Naminé smiled. Now she understood. Pointing to the doorway, she cheerfully said, "Be careful."

"I will," Akyra said with a final nod as she prepared herself to run down twelve stories of staircases, "I'll be back soon."

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"Insolent brat!" Ansem roared. Had he screamed any louder, Riku was sure he would have been permanently deaf. But even that wouldn't have stopped him. He had Ansem right where he wanted him; kneeling before him, defeated by him in battle. How long has he waited to see this sight? How long has he waited to halt the darkness that pulled down on his heart?

"Ansem!" Riku shrieked heroically, slashing through Ansem with force, "You're finished!"

Ansem smirked. "Hardly...finished..." he murmured, clutching at his chest as he slowly dissolved into the air, "I gave you...the dark...My shadow...lingers...I will return!"

He didn't dissolve completely like the other enemies did. Instead, he just vanished. Maybe this meant he would return someday…

Riku didn't need to be saddened by that thought. He defeated Ansem. That's it. It's over. How weird victory feels. Riku knew he should be rejoicing but something was missing… If only his friends were here to cheer with him…

"I know you wanted to do this alone, but you don't mind a LITTLE help, right? Let's go, Riku."

Riku lifted his head. Among the clearing shadows, he saw the King smiling merrily and facing the exit to the castle. Riku wasn't able to explain why he felt so much happier to celebrate victories over enemies with friends. All he knew was that it gave him a happiness he longed to find after having lost it the night he lost his home. Maybe it was because you didn't win the fight by yourself… you won because you knew you had people who cared for you backing you up. Sure, he had only one friend to celebrate with at the moment, but for Riku, one was more than enough.

Riku and Mickey had walked joyfully towards the exit of Castle Oblivion, sharing the most dramatic and comical events of the battle. They were suddenly interrupted by the sound of footsteps darting swiftly down the spiral staircases.

"Erm… who's that?" Riku asked nervously. Had there been a member of the black-robed cult he had forgotten to eliminate? As the footsteps grew louder, Riku and Mickey's eyes narrowed suspiciously. That is, until the person running down the stairs tripped on the bottom staircase and was sent tumbling to the floor in a flash of pinkish purple. It didn't take long for them to realize who it was.

"Gosh, are you okay?" Mickey asked as he helped Akyra get to her feet.

"STUPID STAIR! I SWEAR, I WILL ANNIHILATE YOU!" she screeched. Oddly enough, the stair she tripped on was the same stair that tripped her when she was bolting up the stairs just a few moments ago.

"It's alright, I'm okay, I'm fine!" she said quickly, "So… erm… where's Ansem?"

"He's… He's gone for now," Riku sighed, "But his scent is still there. His darkness may still have a hold on me..."

"Riku," Mickey began, taking in a deep breath, "Your darkness belongs to you. Just like your light. Until now, I thought darkness was nothing but bad. But my time with you made me change my mind. You've chosen a road I never thought of. Light and dark, back to back. With you, they mingle in a way no one's ever seen before. I want to see where that road leads. And if it's okay, I want to walk the road with you."

Riku's eyes lit up as Mickey held out his hand. He took it with a huge smile and shook it gratefully. "Wow, Your Majesty, I don't know what to say... Thanks!"

"Wow, that's amazing!" Akyra squealed, "I too wonder where that road will lead… You guys will have to tell me when we see each other again."

"See each other again?" Riku asked, "How are you so sure?"

Akyra looked down. Why was she sure? She just felt it, that's all. Just like she did when Sora promised to remember her when he woke up. Just like she did when she promised to keep Kairi's secret for three solid years. Just like she did when she promised the three of them they'd go home together.

Promises…. That's what bound them together. If one promised to deliver something for the other and there was a raging hurricane outside, the former would zip up their jacket and fight through dangerous winds just for the latter. They never broke their promises. It was like a contract that ensured their friendship would last through the years. It brought them together even when they were apart.

Akyra closed her eyes. She saw the image of a dirt road, spreading towards a sunset. Closer to her she saw Sora, Donald and Goofy, smiling happily at her. Further off, near the end of the road, she saw Kairi, Riku and Mickey, calling to her from afar. This was her road. The road she followed. It may be rickety at some times but it was still her road. Destiny made it for her. And she was going to follow it to its end.

"How am I so sure?" she repeated, "I see the road I'm on blaring brightly before me. Along the way, I see friends I've met and friends I've yet to meet. Somewhere out there, I see you two."

Riku and Mickey watched her with puzzled looks.

"If I see you on the road I'm following, that means our roads will eventually intertwine. And when they do… we'll see each other again. I promise that."

"That makes a lot of sense," Mickey said cheerfully.

"Then I guess this is 'See ya'," Riku said, smiling brightly.

Akyra laughed. He remembered after all. But her face fell suddenly. She needed to be serious for a second. "Just don't sink back into darkness again, okay? Please…"

Riku watched her as she hung her head in sadness. Gosh, she forgave him for all the madness he caused before. He felt he had to return the favour.

"How about if I promised I won't?" he asked.

Akyra's face lit up. She nodded quickly. Another promise to link the four of them closer together.

"Don't worry, Akyra," Mickey said, "I'll keep an eye on him for you."

Akyra burst out laughing. Riku really hated it when people monitored his every move.

"Hi, Akyra," Riku greeted as if he hadn't seen her in a long time, "It's good to see you again. For a second there, I thought you would never come back."

"See ya!" Mickey called as he whirled around and walked out the front door.

"Till next time," Riku said as he followed him out the door, leaving Akyra dumbfounded. She remembered telling him the old Akyra was locked out of the castle. But as she watched the widely open door and took a few breaths, she felt as if the old Akyra had finally found her way back.

"Hey, Akyra!"

Her head jerked up when she heard her name. Riku had turned around slightly to face her again. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a tiny package.

"Heads up!" he cried as he tossed the object to her. Akyra scrambled and jumped in the air, easily catching the object. It felt rickety as she felt it with her hands. She unwrapped the tin foil from around the object and pulled out the prize.

A cherry covered in chocolate… a cherry bomb, her favourite snack. Gosh, how long has it been since she'd eaten one? She picked up her head and was about to thank him until she realized he was gone. He was walking down the road with Mickey, making a goodbye gesture with his hand. You know, Akyra could probably see them better from that window in the white contraption room… Without looking back, Akyra bolted up the staircases once again as she stuffed the cherry bomb into her pocket. It was no ordinary cherry bomb. It was a friendship treat. And she would treasure that chocolate just as much as she treasured her friends.

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Do you remember what was asked of you? If you would believe that such a peaceful road would lead to a place of difficult choices, lack of forgiveness and a place where even the strongest hero will begin to question the trust of his friends? The choice is yours. After having lived through this adventure, hopefully you'll make the right one.

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Akyra panted heavily as she slowly strode into the white room. Naminé wasn't there. Maybe she had just gone to check on something…

Akyra's pace slowed as she paced by two pods that contained Donald and Goofy. They looked so peaceful as they slept… as if they didn't have a care in the world. You know, if you look hard enough, you could almost see Goofy snoring.

"Ha ha!" Akyra chuckled as she brushed her hand against the surface, "Sleep well. I won't leave."

She raised her head and smiled. The window! She had completely forgotten. She lazily dragged her feet down the marble floor, hoping that Riku and Mickey were still in view once she reached the window overlooking the front of the castle. But something else made her stop. The light glowing from the largest contraption in the room.

Akyra's eyes slowly wandered around as she watched Sora sleep. He always used to love to sleep. Yet now, as he napped, she could swear he had a worried look on his face.

"Why are you worried, Sora?" she chuckled, staring blankly at him. She carefully stroked the surface of the device, the cold glass freezing the tips of her fingers.

"You know I forgive you for everything. Then again, the four of us never were able to stay mad at each other. We were too good of friends…"

She stepped away from the pod, taking a better look at him from far.

"That's why I promised to always be there for you. Maybe when you wake up, you'll remember it…"

She smiled brightly. For once, things seemed to be going uphill; something she thought would never happen in this wretched castle. She heard faint voices coming from outside. Faint yet familiar voices. She walked the steps that separated her from the window, crossed her arms on the windowsill and stuck her head out. She felt the cool breeze rustle through her air and make her skin shiver. Her attention averted to Riku and Mickey as they spoke to a man dressed in crimson clothing and stood at the fork in the road. She was right. The view was much better from up here. Hang on…

"Where'd they get those robes?" she asked suspiciously. Roughly thirteen stories below, Riku and Mickey stopped before the strange man, draped entirely in robes identical to the ones those crazy inhabitants of the castle once wore. Akyra wasn't able to identify the man but Riku and Mickey seemed to know him all too well.

"What are you making me choose now?" Riku asked casually.

"Will you take the road to light — or the road to darkness?" DiZ asked calmly.

"Neither. I'm taking the middle road," he answered. He walked right past DiZ and began his trek down the middle road DiZ was blocking, Mickey following him closely.

"You mean the twilit road to nightfall?" DiZ asked without turning his head.

Riku came to an immediate stop but didn't turn his head. Instead, he stared smiling at the sunset in the distance.

"No…" he said softly, "The road to dawn."

"Good answer," Akyra muttered to herself from the windowsill.

Ever since she set foot into this castle, Akyra had seen nothing but unhappiness. Yet, as she watched out the window, she thought that maybe there was still some good out there. She learned that no matter how dark the sun may seem, there will always be the pale dawn of a new day. Even when things look the bleakest, she won't stop looking. There is always a light that will make everyone happy.

Although everyone around her would let go of the memories they created in this castle, Akyra will never forget. The road had brought her there. Her road. And she vowed to follow it forever, excited to see where it will take her.

So, with a look of pride, she watched Riku and King Mickey make their way down the road to dawn, becoming nothing but two black specks in the distance…

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KHA: (sob) I can't believe it's over! (sobs like a maniac)  
(music plays)  
Roxas: Naminé, wanna dance?  
Naminé: Sure!  
Audience: (with notebooks) So... when's the KH2 ficcy coming?  
KHA: Once I finish the first chapter... And find a title for it. O.o I was thinking something inspirational that has the word "Friendhip" or "Truth" or something like that...  
Audience: O.o (takes notes)  
Akyra: (screech) SOMEBODY STOLE THE SUGAR!  
KHA: GASP! (chases thief) Anyways, thank you to all you great readers, thank you for making this ficcy possible! A special thanks to all those reviewers who have stayed with me since the beginning. Thanks Sora53 for the gamescript that helped me write this ficcy without ever having played COM. And finally, one BIG thanks to EVERYBODY! Rock on:D


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